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 works with fluorescent, halogen, acrylic, and resin explore how light can alter space and perception.
The exhibition pairs Cooper’s iconic Light Traps, held in the collections of LACMA and the Whitney Museum of American Art, with recent light bar installations and reimagined versions of immersive light works he developed in the 1970s, bringing together key moments in an inquiry that has defined 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 expressive 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.
