Best-known for his vacuum-formed plastic works, whose curving surfaces extend from the wall in stunning, vibrant hues, Craig Kauffman (1932–2010) was one of the most significant figures to emerge from the fertile art scene in 1950s and 1960s Los Angeles. For nearly six decades, he created painterly and sculptural objects that continually experimented with form, color, material and space. Deeply engaged with art history and twentieth-century modernism, Kauffman’s work reflected artistic currents of his time, including painterly abstraction, minimalism and post-minimalism, but retained a formal thrust and an aesthetic energy all its own. Sprüth Magers has represented the artist’s estate since 2016.
John Baldessari, Throwing three balls in the air to get a straight line (best of thirty-six attempts), 1973
© 1973–2026 John Baldessari Family Foundation. Courtesy Estate of John Baldessari
© 1973–2026 John Baldessari Family Foundation. Courtesy Estate of John Baldessari
Mindset Los Angeles – Frank Gehry and the Cool School
Group Exhibition
Marta Herford, Herford, Germany
June 27, 2026–January 10, 2027
Architect Frank Gehry’s thinking and work are closely linked to the influence of Los Angeles and its art scene. This comprehensive exhibition explores Gehry’s early artistic influences, which led to his revolutionary approach to rethinking architecture. The free-spirited environment surrounding the “Cool School” group, which established itself in Los Angeles from the late 1950s onward, was a melting pot of artistic (material) experiments, shaped by Beat literature. In this vibrant network on the California coast, an inspiring cross-disciplinary dialogue between art and architecture developed.
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