Robert Irwin wasn’t interested in making art for viewing — he made art for perceiving, experiencing and engaging; mirroring core values of the Light and Space movement that he helped pioneer. For nearly seven decades, he focused not on a particular medium, but in creating work that awakened viewers’ own senses. This innovative versatility allowed for often unexpected pieces that were beloved by Southern California and beyond — including the design for the Getty Center garden for its opening in 1997.

Upon first glance, Irwin’s work may be hard to identify or define — but perhaps, given his exploration of phenomenology, that’s exactly where he hoped viewers would land. Robert Irwin in Los Angeles, hosted by Pace gallery, presents a collection of Irwin's work created during a period in which Irwin embraced this move away from conventional pieces, and into the “conditional art” that cemented him as a visionary. Showcasing work from between 1960 and 1971 — the defining years of the Light and Space movement — the exhibition features paintings, sculptures and installations that symbolize a constant push against artistic limits. 

On view from April 5 to June 7, the exhibition marks the artist’s first posthumous presentation in California, and first exhibition of his work by Pace since his passing in 2023. Irwin first exhibited with Pace in 1966, beginning a decades-long relationship comprised of over 20 shows, that underscored Irwin’s deep commitment to Southern California arts. To commemorate the exhibition’s opening, Pace Live will present a conversation on April 5 between Pace CEO, Marc Glimcher, Director of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Michael Govan; and President Emeritus of NPR, Jarl Mohn. 

While Irwin is celebrated within the context of the Light and Space movement, his imaginative use of media and consistent push against institutional norms established him as a figure of inspiration on his own level, during his career and beyond. Robert Irwin in Los Angeles provides both new and longtime audiences a rare look into Irwin’s artistic journey, in the hands of one of the galleries he trusted the most.

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