Arp—Klee: With Selections from the Janice and Henri Lazarof Collection

This presentation of works on paper with paintings and sculptures draws primarily from two major collections of modern art: the Janice and Henri Lazarof Collection, formed in Los Angeles and gifted to LACMA 20 years ago, and the collection of Maria and Conrad Janis, recently bequeathed to LACMA from one of the sons of esteemed New York gallerist Sidney Janis. Through the lens of these two collections, this selection reflects on shared affinities between Jean Arp and Paul Klee, two key modern artists. Rejecting academic conventions, both artists drew inspiration from folk traditions, children's drawings, and non-European art. Though their styles are distinct, Arp and Klee shared a deep fascination with the regenerative processes of nature—a resonance that shaped each artist's exploration of abstraction, biomorphic form, and an expressive, almost whimsical use of line.