On Saturday, July 11, 2026 William Turner Gallery debuts Moses @ 100, celebrating Ed Moses’ centennial. The gallery will host an opening art party from 5-8pm and the exhibition will remain on view through September 5, 2026. Moreover, it features selected works spanning more than six decades of innovation.
Moses @ 100 William Turner
The exhibition invites viewers to reconsider Moses’ lasting influence. Today, painters still explore process, authorship, and materiality. Consequently, his work remains remarkably relevant.
Ed was an interesting man. I had the chance to interview him back in 2012 for one of the many papers that I was writing for at the time. Moses liked to call himself a “mutator.” Moreover curiosity guided every decision. Thus he constantly explored new techniques and visual languages. His series included Roses, Grids, Magmas, Waterfalls, Sponges, and Crackles. As a result, he rejected a signature style and embraced continual reinvention.
Background
Born in Long Beach in 1926, Moses never planned an artistic career. However, military service changed his path. After serving as a surgical technician during World War II, he pursued pre-med studies. Then, painting transformed his ambitions. He entered UCLA’s MFA program and met Craig Kauffman. Soon afterward, Walter Hopps welcomed him into the Ferus Gallery circle. Alongside Robert Irwin, Ed Ruscha, Larry Bell, and others, Moses shaped Los Angeles’ emerging contemporary art scene.
Since the 1970s, Moses practiced Buddhism. Likewise, he treated painting as both experience and discovery. He preferred “painter” or “mark maker” over “artist.” Furthermore, he believed each painting recorded a journey instead of proving a fixed idea.
His influence reached far beyond the studio. For example, architect Frank Gehry credited Moses with expanding his creative thinking and encouraging fearless experimentation. Moses painted daily until his death in 2018 at age ninety-one. Even then, he pursued new discoveries with unwavering commitment. Meanwhile, Michael Govan recognized Moses’ central role in Los Angeles art history.
Today, major museums across America hold his work. Finally, Moses @ 100 honors an artist who embraced uncertainty, challenged convention, and continually reinvented painting.
On view: July 11, 2026 – September 5, 2026
What: Opening Reception,
Where: William Turner Gallery, 2525 Michigan Avenue E-1, Santa Monica, CA 90404
When: Saturday, July 11, 2026, 5-8pm
Website: http://williamturnergallery.com
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