A new group exhibition titled California Light and Space (The 21st Century Version) is currently on display at the David Zwirner gallery in Los Angeles. Organized by Helen Molesworth, the presentation is located at 606 N Western Avenue and will run through Aug. 1.
Exploring the ‘Terroir’ of Los Angeles
The exhibition examines the “terroir” of the city, a term borrowed from wine connoisseurship. It refers to how the specific geography and ecosystem of Los Angeles provide an indelible “sense of place” that influences the tendencies and concerns of contemporary artists.
The curation highlights how the city’s physical location—nestled in a basin bordered by the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Monica, Santa Ana, and San Gabriel Mountains—shapes the light and space conditions that artists engage with.
A Shift in Artistic Focus
The show contrasts a subsequent generation of artists with the Light and Space movement of the 1960s and 1970s. While the earlier era was defined by a preoccupation with perception and the use of highly finished surfaces and industrial materials, today’s artists utilize a broader range of mediums.
According to Molesworth, these contemporary artists are “deeply embedded in the vernacular quality of the city.” She notes that they are creating work that “couldn’t be made anywhere else but in LA.”
This new wave of work moves away from the spectacles of Hollywood. Instead, these artists are more invested in the “everyday handmade quality of East and South LA,” focusing on contemporary living conditions and the city’s famous “magic hour.”
Future Implications for the LA Art Scene
The focus on localized, non-Hollywood narratives could lead to a greater institutional emphasis on the everyday environments of East and South LA. This shift may encourage future curators to further explore the intersection of geography and social class in urban art.
the success of this “21st Century Version” may prompt further retrospective comparisons between historical movements and current practices across other geographically distinct art hubs.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the exhibition end?
The exhibit runs through Aug. 1.
What is the meaning of ‘terroir’ as used in the exhibition?
Borrowed from wine connoisseurship, the term refers to how a specific geography or ecosystem gives a “sense of place” that affects the work produced in that location.
How does this exhibition differ from the Light and Space artists of the 1960s and 1970s?
The earlier artists focused on perception, industrial materials, and highly finished surfaces. The current generation works in a range of mediums and is more invested in the vernacular, handmade quality of East and South LA and the reality of how people live now.
Do you think a city’s physical geography can truly dictate the style of art created there?