A pivotal figure in the field of conceptual art, Los Angeles-based artist Charles Gaines engages formulas and systems that interrogate relationships between the objective and the subjective realms. In his drawings, works on paper and photographs he investigates how rule-based processes and systems construct the experiences of aesthetics, politics, and language. By employing multi-layered practices, including images, texts, and grids, as well as working in a serial character, Gaines examines image structures while critically questioning forms of representation.

Join Charles Gaines in conversation with OCMA CEO and Director Heidi Zuckerman as they discuss language in artistic production, the role that structures play in how things acquire meaning, the importance of teaching, and mentorship.