The Getty Research Institute has acquired the archive of Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions, the longest running contemporary artists’ space in Los Angeles. The LACE Records, 1978 to today, covers the first four decades of exhibitions and programs at the institution; future records of the active contemporary art site will be added to the GRI’s collection.

Rafa Esparza’s “i have never been here before” (2015) is among the featured works. (photo by Chris Wormald/courtesy of LACE)

“We are particularly pleased to preserve and study an archive of this caliber from a landmark Los Angeles institution,” said Thomas W. Gaehtgens, director of the Getty Research Institute. “LACE has helped launch careers, supported a vibrant and ever-changing Los Angeles art scene, and pioneered a unique exhibition and performance program that while, artist-driven, supports community development and social causes. Their records connect to many of our holdings and will be invaluable to anyone studying American contemporary art, especially that of Los Angeles.”

The LACE Records paint a dynamic portrait of the organization, from its early days in downtown to more recent years at its current home in Hollywood, as it evolved with the alternative art scene in Southern California. The space served as a crucial site for video, performance, and other art forms, and supported the early work of many artists who have gone on to wider recognition, including ASCO, Mike Kelley, Suzanne Lacy, Paul McCarthy, Rachel Rosenthal, Bruce and Norman Yonemoto, and Rafa Esparza, among others.

Over the course of its existence, LACE has presented the work of more than 5,000 artists in 3,000 programs and events by both Los Angeles-based and visiting artists. LACE was an early champion of video and performance art, with some of the city’s key practitioners serving on its committees, and the space has been noteworthy for its interdisciplinary approach to performance, with significant music and dance programming.

“It would be difficult to exaggerate LACE’s importance in the development of experimental and advanced art in Los Angeles from the late 1970s through the mid-’90s and their continued role in bringing new, experimental art to the fore,” said Glenn Phillips, curator and head of modern and contemporary art at the GRI. “Because the archive features so many important contemporary artists from Los Angeles and beyond, the material connects to and bolsters the GRI’s already rich holdings of experimental 20th century artists, including feminist performance groups. Additionally, we have significant documentation of the alternative space movement that arose in the U.S. in the ‘60s and ‘70s, a movement in which LACE stands out for its longevity and influence.”

For information, visit welcometolace.org.