ED MOSES essay by Barbara Haskell with an introduction by Frances Colpitt

Radius Books, 2009, First edition 192 pp., 11" X 12", Hardcover

Fine

A member of the group of L.A. artists immortalized as the "Cool School" in Morgan Neville's 2007 documentary of the same name, Ed Moses' first exhibition was at the legendary Ferus Gallery in Los Angeles, 1957. But for two brief stints in New York (1958-60) and in Europe (1973-74), Moses has remained in Southern California for his whole life, and his career has been central to the history of West Coast art--along with peers Ed Kienholz, Robert Irwin, John Altoon and Wallace Berman. Rather than maintain one distinct style, Moses has repeatedly renewed his approach to his art, which has ranged from his early, delicate, abstract drawings to the architectural grid work and resin paintings of the 1970s, the Apparitions paintings of the late 1980s and early 1990s and the huge canvases that he is producing now. Consistent features of Moses' work are an emphasis on gesture and mark-making and an intimate connection with his materials. Moses has had numerous shows throughout his long career, but this is his first major monograph.