Twenty Five Years: A Group Exhibition @ Peter Blake Gallery in Laguna Beach

The Peter Blake Gallery in Laguna Beach, California commemorates its twenty-fifth year with an exhibition of historic and recent West Coast Abstraction. Since 1993, Blake’s faithfulness to his creative vision has allowed him to champion West Coast Minimalist works from the sixties through today. Now the longest-running gallery exhibiting West Coast Minimalism to date, Peter has been a champion for the artists assembled into this category for the past twenty-five years. As these artists’ esteemed works have come under the spotlight on the global stage, the gallery’s anniversary offers a fitting occasion to revisit these historic works in a local setting. The exhibition brings together a presentation of works by Lita Albuquerque, Peter Alexander, Larry Bell, Billy Al Bengston, Ron Cooper, Mary Corse, Tony Delap, Laddie John Dill, Joe Goode, James Hayward, Scot Heywood, Craig Kauffman, John McCracken, John M. Miller, Marcia Hafif, Ron Nagle, Helen Pashgian, Hadi Tabatabai, and De Wain Valentine to celebrate the gallery’s milestone anniversary.

“Twenty Five Years” is on view through August at Peter Blake Gallery 435 Ocean Avenue Laguna Beach, CA. photographs courtesy of the artists and Peter Blake Gallery

The Sexy Beast Gala Benefit For Planned Parenthood LA At The Marciano Art Foundation In Los Angeles

Sexy Beast for Planned Parenthood Los Angeles is the shared vision of a group of influencers in the arts, united by a mission to harness the goodwill and powerful connections of the creative community to effect positive change, touch lives, and create a meaningful social impact. They believe we should all have access to safe, caring, and affordable healthcare services. During these challenging times for Planned Parenthood, it's more important than ever that the organization has our support, so it can remain focused on the vital care it provides. Since its founding in 2014, the Sexy Beast art auction and gala has raised nearly one million dollars for Planned Parenthood Los Angeles across two milestone events. This year, they raised almost one million dollars in one night alone, bringing Sexy Beast back for an unmissable evening of art, food, music and culture. photographs by Oliver Kupper

Artists Talk "LA Legends" With Larry Bell, Billy Al Bengston, Ed Moses, and Ed Ruscha @ The Broad Stage In Los Angeles

Presented by The Broad Stage and Sotheby's Institute Of Art, Artist Talk: LA Legends is the first of a series of talks with influential California-based artists, established to explore the living legacy of Los Angeles' arts scene. Art legends and postwar trailblazers set the stage for L.A.'s vibrant contemporary art scene and continue to define L.A.'s cultural landscape today. photography Oliver Maxwell Kupper

Ed Ruscha, Billy Al Bengston, Larry Bell, And More Plan Historic Talk @ The Broad Stage In Los Angeles

The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage in Santa Monica and Sotheby's Institute Of Art will present Larry Bell, Billy Al Bengston, Robert Irwin, Ed Moses, and Ed Ruscha on stage in Artists Talk: LA Legends - A Conversation With California Art Icons, on January 18, 2017, the first of a series of talks with influential California-based artists, established to explore the living legacy of Los Angeles' vibrant contemporary arts scene. Click here to purchase tickets. photograph by Oliver Maxwell Kupper

Billy Al Bengston's Motorcycle Paintings Exhibition @ Venus Over Manhattan in New York

Venus Over Manhattan gallery is exhibiting both old and new works by legendary L.A. artist Billy Al Bengston. The show features 12 paintings from the “B.S.A Motorcycle” series from the 60s, where various motorcycle parts are isolated and presented on the canvas against abstract backgrounds. These paintings made Bengston a voice to be reckoned with in the Pop Art movement and appeared in the 1974 American Pop Art exhibition at the Whitney. Also included in the exhibition is the original motorcycle that inspired the series. Bengston’s new works that are on display feature his signature Chrevron motif in piercing blue tones. In true Pop Art manner, he originally painted the Chevron logo with lacquered spray paints, being one of the first artists to trade in the traditional oil on canvas back in the 60s. In his new pieces, however, Bengston comes full circle by using acrylic on canvas and leaving the glossy Pop Art behind for a softer finish.  The exhibition will be on view until November 2, 2016 at Venus Over Manhattan in New York. text and photographs by Helena Calmfors