Hanne Darboven (1941–2009) is considered one of the most important and enigmatic figures in postwar German art. Though based in Hamburg, it was during a two-year stay in New York in the late 1960s that the conceptual artist discovered what would become her life-long project: the spatializing and visualization of time in its various forms—as lifetime, time working and writing, and historical time. Monika Sprüth and Philomene Magers have the exclusive privilege of working with the Hanne Darboven Foundation, the foundation entrusted with the artist’s estate.
The Expanding Field, installation view, MOCA Grand Avenue, 2026
Photo: Jeff McLane. Courtesy of The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA)
Photo: Jeff McLane. Courtesy of The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA)
The Expanding Field: MOCA's Collection from the 1940s to 1970s
Group Exhibition
MOCA, Los Angeles
Through September 20, 2026
Drawing from MOCA’s world-renowned, ever-growing collection of nearly 8,000 objects, this exhibition focuses on artworks dating from the 1940s to the 1970s and demonstrates the collection’s historical depth, commitment to artistic experimentation, and global awareness. Featuring recent acquisitions alongside beloved artworks that have long been mainstays of MOCA’s collection, The Expanding Field provides insight into art practice in the decades immediately preceding MOCA’s founding in 1979 and an outlook informed by the diverse cultures of Los Angeles.
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