Christian Boltanski: Lessons of Darkness constituted the first American survey of the French conceptual artist’s work. The traveling exhibition featured sixty-two artworks dating between 1970 and 1988, including sculptural assemblages, found photograph installations, and expansive photo series.
The exhibition traveled from the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago (April 23 – June 19, 1988) to MOCA; The New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York (December 9, 1988 – February 12, 1989); the University Art Museum, Berkeley (July 19 – September 1989); and The Power Plant, Toronto (November 24, 1989 – January 7, 1990).
The exhibition was accompanied by a catalogue.
Christian Boltanski: Lessons of Darkness was organized by Mary Jane Jacob, , The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, and Lynn Gumpert, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), Chicago.