Crisis point: Josh Kline's world is wiped out by climate change
Josh Kline's dystopian show is currently on at MOCA in Los Angeles

What would we do if our world was annihilated? And who will we be when we emerge from the ruins? Prescient questions become laced with a dystopian doom in Josh Kline’s ‘Climate Change’ exhibition, the fourth chapter in a series of works considering the end of the world through immersive science-fiction installations. Originally conceived in 2018, and currently on show at LA's Museum of Contemporary Art, Kline produced the majority of the works during the pandemic, which for him became a catastrophic foretelling of the results of a broken-down society. Here he brings his apocalyptic visions to life through the mediums of sculpture, moving images and photography.
Josh Kline, Submersion (detail) (2019). Courtesy of the artist; 47 Canal, New York; and Lisson Gallery © Josh Kline. Photo by Joerg Lohse
'Kline’s work is layered, meticulous, and essential in its clear articulation of the problems of the present day and how they will impact human life in the near future,' says Rebecca Lowery, MOCA associate curator. 'We are honoured to have supported the production of several new artworks for this exhibition, and thrilled to share the artist’s project with MOCA’s diverse audiences within and outside of Los Angeles, a city that has played a significant role in the imagination of this saga.'
‘Josh Kline: Climate Change’ is on show until 5 January at MOCA
moca.org
This article appears in the October 2024 issue of Wallpaper*, available in print on newsstands from 5 September on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today
Josh Kline, Domestic Fragility Meltdown (detail) (2019). Courtesy of the artist; 47 Canal, New York; and Lisson Gallery, © Josh Kline. Photo by Joerg Lohse
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Hannah Silver is the Art, Culture, Watches & Jewellery Editor of Wallpaper*. Since joining in 2019, she has overseen offbeat design trends and in-depth profiles, and written extensively across the worlds of culture and luxury. She enjoys meeting artists and designers, viewing exhibitions and conducting interviews on her frequent travels.
-
What’s new in the wearable world of smart glasses, and extended and augmented reality
Are you ready for AR? Meta, Google, Snap and more are gearing up to compete with Apple and deliver frames-based communications devices – complete with AI integration
-
Italian-Japanese fusion’s a joy at east London’s Osteria Angelina
A Victorian warehouse in Spitalfields has been given a slick modern makeover to house a unique Italian-Japanese restaurant
-
Meet the Palestinian artist putting a candy-coloured twist on traditional glassmaking
With her company Ornamental by Lameice, designer Lameice Abu Aker is bringing joy and optimism to a time-honoured craft
-
Unlike the gloriously grotesque imagery in his films, Yorgos Lanthimos’ photographs are quietly beautiful
An exhibition at Webber Gallery in Los Angeles presents Yorgos Lanthimos’ photography
-
Cowboys and Queens: Jane Hilton's celebration of culture on the fringes
Photographer Jane Hilton captures cowboy and drag queen culture for a new exhibition and book
-
New gallery Rajiv Menon Contemporary brings contemporary South Asian and diasporic art to Los Angeles
'Exhibitionism', the inaugural showcase at Rajiv Menon Contemporary gallery in Hollywood, examines the boundaries of intimacy
-
Helmut Lang showcases his provocative sculptures in a modernist Los Angeles home
‘Helmut Lang: What remains behind’ sees the artist and former fashion designer open a new show of works at MAK Center for Art and Architecture at the Schindler House
-
Don't miss these seven artists at Frieze Los Angeles
Frieze LA returns for its sixth edition, running 20-23 February, showcasing over 100 galleries from more than 20 countries, as well as local staples featuring the city’s leading creatives
-
Pop culture, nostalgia and familiarity: Sam McKinniss in LA
Artist Sam McKinniss’ solo exhibition of paintings at David Kordansky Gallery in Los Angeles taps into familiarity, loss, and nostalgia
-
Inside the distorted world of artist George Rouy
Frequently drawing comparisons with Francis Bacon, painter George Rouy is gaining peer points for his use of classic techniques to distort the human form
-
Sunshine noir is given an unsettling spin in new film ‘Skincare’; meet the director
Best known for music videos, director and writer of ‘Skincare’ Austin Peters on how he created the film’s bright, ominous world