John McLaughlin's 'Marvelous Void' Explored in Dual Exhibitions at LACMA and Van Doren Waxter
In 2016-2017, two notable exhibitions highlighted the abstract works of John McLaughlin, focusing on geometric shapes and Zen influences. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art hosted 'John McLaughlin Paintings: Total Abstraction' from November 14, 2016, to April 16, 2017, displaying 52 paintings alongside 9 works on paper. Simultaneously, 'John McLaughlin: Marvelous Void' took place at Van Doren Waxter in New York City from November 2, 2016, to January 7, 2017, featuring six paintings and two Japanese scrolls. McLaughlin (1898-1976) pursued a vision of pure abstraction, drawing inspiration from both Japanese artists and Western contemporaries. The LACMA exhibit, curated by Stephanie Barron and Lauren Bergman, included chairs commissioned from Roy McMakin, while Robert C. Morgan organized the New York showcase, emphasizing McLaughlin's Zen connections.
Key facts
- John McLaughlin's exhibitions ran from late 2016 to early 2017 in Los Angeles and New York.
- LACMA's retrospective included 52 paintings and 9 works on paper, with chairs by Roy McMakin.
- Van Doren Waxter's show featured six paintings representing each decade of McLaughlin's career.
- McLaughlin was influenced by Japanese art and Zen concepts, particularly the 'marvelous void.'
- He criticized Piet Mondrian for not achieving freedom from representational sources.
- McLaughlin's work was included in MoMA's 1965 'Responsive Eye' exhibition curated by William Seitz.
- The LACMA exhibition did not travel despite offers to over thirty museums.
- McLaughlin is considered a forerunner of the Light and Space movement.
Entities
Artists
- John McLaughlin
- Agnes Martin
- Mark Rothko
- Carmen Herrera
- Joseph Albers
- Wassily Kandinsky
- Kazimir Malevich
- Piet Mondrian
- Barnett Newman
- Jackson Pollock
- Clyfford Still
- Sesshū Tōyō
- Roy McMakin
- Tony Berlant
- Joe Goode
- Ed Moses
- Sam Francis
- Ed Ruscha
- James Haywood
- Tony Delap
- Billy Al Bengston
- Ron Davis
- David Novros
- Marcia Hafif
- Edith Baumann
- John McCracken
- Ken Price
- Peter Voulkos
- Scot Heywood
- Alan Wayne
- David Reed
- Don Voisine
- Robert Irwin
- Larry Bell
- James Turrell
- Mary Corse
- Peter Alexander
- Craig Kaufmann
- Edward Albee
- Niels Bohr
- Robert C. Morgan
- Stephanie Barron
- Lauren Bergman
- William Seitz
Institutions
- Los Angeles County Museum of Art
- Van Doren Waxter
- Di Donna
- MoMA
- artcritical
Locations
- Los Angeles
- California
- United States
- New York City
- New York
- Boston
- Japan
- China
- Zurich
- Switzerland