John Baldessari and Meg Cranston Curate New Exhibition

Alexis Smith Wasteland, 2013. Courtesy of the artist.

The Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (ICA LA) announced the opening of a new exhibition, This Brush for Hire: Norm Laich and Many Other Artists, a unique look into an array of internationally renowned artists and one imperative assistant—Norm Laich. Curated by alums John Baldessari (Chouinard Fine Art 59) and Meg Cranston (MFA Art 86), the show will open June 3 and run through September 2, 2018.

Laich has been an important part of the production of many iconic, contemporary pieces by a range of artists including, Jenny Holzer, Ed Ruscha, Paul McCarthy and Allen Ruppersberg, among others. The exhibition will offer an account of Laich’s emergence as a sign painter and recognize his place within contemporary art. The show will also examine questions of authorship and collaboration, exploring the relationship between an artist’s idea and the hired hands required in the production of the work.

The selected works will include paintings and objects by John Baldessari, the late John Boskovich (MFA Art 86), Karen Carson, Kim Fisher, Daniel Joseph Martinez (BFA Art 79), faculty member Alexis Smith, Scott Greiger, Kay Rosen, and Stephen Prina (MFA Art 80), among others.