Lari Pittman: Mood Books

Exhibition Website

Sep 3 2016 - Feb 20 2017

The Huntington

San Marino, CA

Los-Angeles based artist Lari Pittman (b. 1952) is known for his exuberant, colorful, and graphically complex works. Huntington visitors can see the artist at his hallucinogenic best in this new exhibition. Six monumental illustrated books, each opening to more than four feet in width, contain 65 paintings by the artist. They draw from a variety of aesthetic traditions, ranging from decorative art and design to advertising and folk art. Combined with Pittman’s brilliant draftsmanship and acidic color, the images advance an astute and acerbic social commentary embedded in narratives rich with real and invented mythologies.

The impact of the books is further elevated by an installation conceived by award-winning Los Angeles architect Michael Maltzan. Grand, sculptural pedestals hold the books open so visitors can enjoy a direct, unimpeded experience. Page openings will be changed periodically during the run of the show, and a large touch screen will make it possible to view all the paintings and text in sequential order.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website

  • Painting
  • American
  • Contemporary
  • Design
  • Lari Pittman
  • Michael Maltzan

Exhibition Venues & Dates