Ron Cooper: Light Works celebrates Ron Cooper’s groundbreaking explorations of light and perception, spanning from the 1960s to the present. A pivotal figure in the Light and Space movement in Southern California, Cooper’s early works with neon, acrylic, and resin explored how light could alter space and perception, immersing viewers in a sensory experience. His immersive light installations, including iconic works celebrated at Documenta 69, transformed environments into dynamic fields of color and illusion.
The exhibition pairs Cooper’s iconic light works from the 1960s and 70s with his more recent light bar installations, which mark a return to the ideas he began exploring five decades ago. These light bar works, begun in the 1960s and reimagined in his current career, demonstrate his lifelong commitment to redefining visual perception through light. By revisiting these ideas in the present, Cooper reasserts his place in the history of contemporary art, reflecting what he regards as the greatest works of his career.
Born in 1943 in New York, Cooper’s interest in perception and illusion was shaped by his early philosophical explorations, influenced by thinkers such as Joseph Campbell, Carl Jung, Krishnamurti, and Alan Watts. His works transform the museum into a space where light and color shift and evolve, inviting viewers to reconsider their relationship to space and sight.
This exhibition honors Cooper’s profound impact on the art world by showcasing works that not only challenge perception but also celebrate the immersive possibilities of light.
Ron Cooper, Corner Volume (detail), 2011 / 2026, glass and fluorescent light, dimensions variable. Courtesy of the artist. Venice in Venice: Glow & Reflection, Venice California Art from 1960 to Present, June 4—July 31, 2011, Nyehaus and Foundation 20 21 at Palazzo Contarini degli Scrigni, Venice, Italy.
Ron Cooper, Flip Circle, 1971 / 2026, framing projector and glass, 96 x 48 x ½ in. Courtesy of the artist.
Ron Cooper, Separator Variation Yellow Blue, 1971 / 2026, glass and fluorescent light, 96 x 192 x 48 in. Courtesy of the artist. Ron Cooper: Separator Variations and Large Corner Volume of Light, 1973, La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art, La Jolla, CA.
Ron Cooper, Corner Volume, 2011 / 2026, glass and fluorescent light, dimensions variable. Courtesy of the artist. Venice in Venice: Glow & Reflection, Venice California Art from 1960 to Present, June 4—July 31, 2011, Nyehaus and Foundation 20 21 at Palazzo Contarini degli Scrigni, Venice, Italy.
