Exploring light and perception in Olafur Eliasson: OPEN exhibition at MOCA Los Angeles
The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Los Angeles is showcasing Olafur Eliasson: OPEN, a monumental exhibition by renowned Icelandic-Danish artist Olafur Eliasson, from September 15, 2024, through July 6, 2025. Held at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, this is Eliasson’s first solo exhibition in Los Angeles, marking a key moment in the city’s art scene.
OPEN is part of the PST ART: Art & Science Collide initiative by Getty, curated by José Luis Blondet, Senior Curator, and Rebecca Lowery, Associate Curator, with assistance from Emilia Nicholson-Fajardo and Anastasia Kahn. Through installations that respond to The Geffen Contemporary’s architectural design and Los Angeles’s unique atmospheric qualities, Eliasson continues his longstanding artistic exploration of light, color, geometry, and environmental awareness.
Olafur Eliasson: OPEN features more than a dozen commissioned works alongside select recent pieces, all of which reflect Eliasson’s studies in perception, optical devices, physics, and color. Through his work, Eliasson encourages audiences to reconsider their perception, challenging familiar ways of seeing. By incorporating ideas from physics and navigational tools, his work invites viewers into an immersive experience where they can explore the relativity of perception and the openness inherent in each piece. This concept of “inconclusiveness” emphasizes that every artwork contains an open-ended element, drawing viewers into an ongoing dialogue with the work itself and their own perceptions.
Johanna Burton, The Maurice Marciano Director, emphasizes Eliasson’s transformative effect on traditional spaces, stating that his use of light and color transforms the familiar into something ephemeral and extraordinary. This aligns with MOCA’s dedication to environmentally aware programming, which has long addressed themes of climate change and sustainability. By reimagining how individuals experience their surroundings, OPEN becomes an extension of MOCA’s environmental initiatives, encouraging a deeper engagement with our world.
Curator José Luis Blondet highlights how Eliasson’s OPEN draws on the legacies of pivotal Los Angeles artists who have previously explored space, light, and perception, such as Robert Irwin and James Turrell. Similarly, Lowery describes Eliasson’s meticulous approach to perception as both scientific and poetic, tailored to animate The Geffen Contemporary’s industrial architecture in fresh ways that will captivate both new and returning visitors.
Set within the spacious halls of The Geffen Contemporary, OPEN is designed as a dynamic series of experiences, where the central gallery acts as an anchor from which visitors can explore Eliasson’s works. Each installation offers a unique interaction with light, perception, and environmental awareness, transforming the museum into a realm of fluid experiences that reflect Eliasson’s vision and MOCA’s commitment to innovative, eco-conscious art.
All images courtesy of MOCA, shared with permission
