Ed Moses: Whiplines, Waterfalls and Worms

Moses was among the first generation of artists to be shown at Ferus Gallery, L.A., in 1957, where he started the ‘Cool School’ of artists which included Ed Ruscha, Robert Irwin, Larry Bell, Edward Kienholz, John Altoon, Ken Price and Billy Al Bengston.

Curated in collaboration with the Ed Moses Studio, and accompanied by an essay by Richard Davey, the writer and friend of the late Moses, Whiplines, Waterfalls and Worms unveils the exploratory thread of ‘mark making’ that runs through the work of Moses’ later years.

The exhibition will showcase the incredibly adventurous work from the last two decades of Moses’ life and career. Lines, swirling swathes and crackled layers of paint come together in a series of ‘whiplines, waterfalls and worms’, in an effort to display Moses’ relentless experimentation with form and to underline his role as a ‘mutator’ in the field of abstract art.

In contrast to many of his contemporaries, Moses never followed a distinct framework or style. Moses remarked “I don’t express myself, I’m a mutator, I explore”. Always fascinated by the metaphysical power of painting, Moses created  ndefinable abstract canvases that embraced process and temporality, which subsequently secured him an experimental and distinctive role in the nascent LA art scene.

As Richard Davey illuminates, the significance of Moses’ work lies in the elemental act of his mark making. While the flourishes of abstract marks across the canvases invoke chaos, they simultaneously declare Moses’ presence and ability to find control through chance and circumstance.