Lehighton native and artist Daniel Finsel has reached a significant milestone in his career with the acquisition of two of his video works, “The Space Between You and Me” (2012) and “The Space Between You and Me: Centerpiece” (2012), by the Mohn Art Collective (MAC3), a shared collection jointly owned and managed by three of Los Angeles’ leading art institutions: the Hammer Museum, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles.

Established in 2024 through a gift of artwork and a supporting endowment from Jarl and Pamela Mohn, MAC3 is dedicated to preserving and presenting the work of artists living and working in Los Angeles. The endowment supports annual acquisitions as well as the ongoing care and preservation of the collection.

In a letter announcing the acquisition, representatives of the three museums wrote that Finsel’s inclusion in MAC3 “reflects the significance of your artistic practice and its resonance across multiple institutional contexts.”

They added that his work contributes meaningfully to the collection’s vision of supporting “thoughtful, impactful and enduring voices from Los Angeles.”

Finsel credits much of his artistic passion and creative development to his roots in Carbon County. A major influence throughout his life has been his grandfather, Randolph Rabenold, a local artist and longtime art teacher in Jim Thorpe.

Growing up surrounded by his grandfather’s creativity and mentorship helped shape his dedication to artistic expression.

Finsel earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania in 2006 and a Master of Fine Arts degree from the California Institute of the Arts in 2011.

After college, he was named one of the 60 best young artists in Los Angeles and was featured in the Made in L.A. 2012 Biennial at the Hammer Museum and LAXART. He also received the 2016 Artadia Award in Los Angeles and was selected for Artists’ Film International with Ballroom Marfa/Whitechapel Gallery.

Finsel, who previously lived and worked in Los Angeles, continues to explore themes of connection, identity and human experience through his art. The addition of his work to MAC3 marks a significant recognition for an artist whose creative journey began in Lehighton and Carbon County before reaching a broader contemporary art audience.

He is the son of Glenn and Rebecca Rabenold Finsel of Lehighton.

Recognition of the family’s artistic contributions extends beyond Finsel and his grandfather. In addition to art, his brother, Joel, and mother, Rebecca, are co-authors of “Franz Kline in Coal Country,” a book about Carbon County abstract expressionist Franz Kline.