Mark Grotjahn and the summer group shows in Los Angeles and East Hampton
Published on 08/26/2026 at 11:13 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael MĂĽller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Mark Grotjahn remains a central figure in contemporary abstraction, with his work circulating between West and East Coast group exhibitions in the summer of 2026. As the David Kordansky Gallery press release notes, the Los Angeles show Tom’s Stretch runs from July 10 to August 22, 2026 and includes Grotjahn among more than seventy artists engaging with the legacy of Tom of Finland. David Kordansky Gallery exhibition page
The Los Angeles show Tom’s Stretch
The exhibition Tom’s Stretch at David Kordansky Gallery in Los Angeles brings together works spanning over eighty years by more than seventy artists around Tom of Finland’s imagery, with Mark Grotjahn listed among the contributors. The gallery’s announcement states that the show is on view from July 10 through August 22, 2026 at 5130 W. Edgewood Place.
Within this queer-historical and body-focused context, Grotjahn’s participation aligns his abstract and often geometrically structured practice with a broader conversation about representations of the figure, desire and fantasy, even if his own works are not described individually in the release.
The Builders exhibition in East Hampton
Parallel to the Los Angeles presentation, the data platform MutualArt lists Mark Grotjahn as part of the group exhibition Builders at Halsey McKay Gallery in East Hampton, running from July 25 to October 31, 2026. The listing situates the show in East Hampton, New York and notes it among Grotjahn’s current exhibitions. MutualArt artist overview
Placed alongside a roster of contemporary artists, Grotjahn’s work in Builders underscores how his abstract language can be interpreted as a form of construction, where perspective, color and repetition operate like structural elements rather than purely spontaneous gesture.
Exhibitions, auctions and collections in overview
For further background on Mark Grotjahn’s exhibitions, auction results and institutional holdings, the AD HOC NEWS archive offers additional English-language coverage.
The work core beyond the summer shows
Mark Grotjahn is widely known for his Butterfly and Face series, where sharply radiating perspectival lines and dense layers of oil paint generate a tension between geometric order and painterly accident, as emphasized by coverage from institutions such as Aspen Art Museum and Gagosian cited by MutualArt.
Where the artist stands now
On balance, Mark Grotjahn’s work currently bridges major gallery exhibitions like Tom’s Stretch and Builders while remaining a reference point for museum collections and the secondary market.
Mark Grotjahn at a glance
- Artist: Mark Grotjahn
- Medium / Genre: Painting (abstract) and sculpture
- Born: 1968, Pasadena, United States
- Place(s) of practice: Studio in Los Angeles, California
- Active since: 1990s, with increased visibility from the early 2000s
- Key work groups: Butterfly paintings, Face paintings, Mask sculptures, perspectival drawings
- Current/last exhibition: Builders, Halsey McKay Gallery, East Hampton, July 25 to October 31, 2026
- Major collections: Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden (Washington, DC), Museum of Modern Art (New York), Aspen Art Museum, leading private collections
- Awards: Publicly available sources highlight institutional recognition and major gallery representation rather than specific prize awards
- Next date: currently no announced date in the 30-day window
Frequently asked questions about Mark Grotjahn
Where can Mark Grotjahn’s work be seen in summer 2026?
In summer 2026, Mark Grotjahn’s work appears in the group exhibition Tom’s Stretch at David Kordansky Gallery in Los Angeles from July 10 to August 22, 2026 and in Builders at Halsey McKay Gallery in East Hampton from July 25 to October 31, 2026.
What characterizes Mark Grotjahn’s Butterfly paintings?
The Butterfly paintings are defined by radiating perspectival lines, often centered on multiple vanishing points, and by thickly layered oil paint that produces a near-sculptural surface, creating a complex interplay between symmetry and disruption.
Which institutions hold works by Mark Grotjahn?
Institutions such as the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden and the Museum of Modern Art in New York have acquired works by Mark Grotjahn, signaling his position within major international museum collections.
This article was produced with a.i. support and editorially reviewed. All statements without guarantee; auction results, exhibition dates and awards may change at short notice.
