6 days ago
Even more oversized tables and chairs are coming to the Broad
Next to Yayoi Kusama's Infinity Mirrored Room—The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away, the most photographed piece in the Broad museum's collection of contemporary art just might be Robert Therrien's Under the Table. You know the one—the giant table and chairs that you ask your friend to snap a photo of as you stand underneath, looking upward.
Well pull up a chair, we've got great news: Later this year, an entire exhibition of the late sculptor's works is coming to the museum. In 'Robert Therrien: This is a Story,' expect more huge housewares and striking works, plus some intimate drawings and surprises. Here's what you need to know.
Chicago-born, L.A.-based artist Therrien, who passed away in 2019, holds a special place at the Broad—he was one of the first L.A. artists to be included in its collection. His work explores memory and perception by experimenting with scale and material and finding inspiration in seemingly ordinary objects. 'The most important thing to know about Therrien is that he can evoke a sense of wonder,' says Broad curator Ed Schad.
And visitors will be able to experience even more of that wonder in the show, the largest-ever solo exhibition of the artist's work. More than 120 pieces that Therrien created over five decades will be on display, from his signature enormous sculptures to more intimate drawings of snowmen, birds and chapels. Many of the pieces, including some the artist completed just before his death, have never been shown in museums before. You'll be able to walk underneath another humongous dining set, a way-larger-than-life beard and a stack of plates that appear to be in motion. You can also expect 'full-sized rooms full of surprises and encounters that are a hallmark of the artist's practice.' Therrien's Downtown L.A. studio—which was located just a few miles from the Broad—will also be partially re-created as part of the exhibition.
The show will display the fun and playful but also the serious aspects of Therrien's oeuvre. And more than that, you'll be able to look beyond his works as mere photo ops to discover the creative process and meaning behind his eye-catching creations.
'Robert Therrien: This is a Story' will open November 22 (so after the current special exhibition, the joyous ' Jeffrey Gibson: the space in which to place me,' closes) and will run through April 5, 2026. The show will fill the first-floor galleries and be a specially ticketed exhibition (read: not free like the rest of the museum). Pricing has yet to be announced, but if the Gibson exhibition—which costs $15 but is free to visit on Thursday nights—is any indication, there might be some chances to see the Therrien exhibition for free, so stay tuned. And expect a full slate of special programming that coincides with the show. Tickets will be available this summer at
