"He's an artist that was a major presence in Los Angeles art for almost 50 years, one of the best sculptors to emerge in this town. But he hides in plain sight. Not enough people know about what makes him the artist that he is. When we look closer at Bob's work, he was an artist that was a part of the discussion here in Los Angeles for a very long time."
"Therrien's Under the Table (1994), a 10ft-high hyperrealist rendition of a table and six chairs, was one of the first works moved into The Broad ahead of its opening in 2012. It still stands in its usual location on the third floor, while the current exhibition includes a different set, No title (folding table and chairs, dark brown) from 2007, on loan from Glenstone museum in Maryland."
Robert Therrien (1947-2019) was a significant presence in Los Angeles art for nearly five decades, yet remains relatively unknown compared to other contemporary artists. His most recognizable work is the hyperrealist "big table and chairs" at The Broad, which visitors frequently request to see alongside Yayoi Kusama's infinity room. The retrospective, curated by Ed Schad, features over 125 works from Therrien's estate, lenders, and The Broad's collection. Therrien's signature pieces include large-scale replicas of everyday furniture made from painted steel, aluminum, fabric, and plastic, designed for viewers to walk under. Born in Chicago, Therrien moved to California for health reasons and studied at USC. His career gained prominence after inclusion in the 1985 Whitney Biennial, leading to representation by legendary dealer Leo Castelli and participation in Documenta.
Read at The Art Newspaper - International art news and events
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