Free Rebels in Paradise by Hunter Drohojowska-Philp Page A

California lifestyle.
    Everett Ellin opens his second gallery on North La Cienega Boulevard.
    Billy Al Bengston paints his Dracula series with a small orchid shape in center of canvas.
    Larry Bell begins paintings of nested hexagons.
    Ferus shows Jasper Johns with Kurt Schwitters; Ken Price’s first solo show.
    The Pasadena Art Museum presents the clay sculpture of John Mason in May, followed by Robert Irwin in July, and Richard Diebenkorn in September.
    1961
    Beach Boys Surfin’ Safari album is released, launching a surf music trend. About 30,000 young people are surfing California beaches each weekend.
    Willem de Kooning at the Kantor Gallery and Helen Frankenthaler at Primus-Stuart Gallery. Ferus artists are packaged as something entirely different: Ken Price’s exhibition announcement depicts the artist surfing; Bengston’s shows the artist driving his motorcycle.
    A forest fire destroys more than 500 houses in Bel Air, Brentwood, and Malibu, including that of Dennis and Brooke Hopper.
    Dwan Gallery’s Yves Klein: Le Monochrome opens on May 29.
    Ed Kienholz is given a show at the Pasadena Art Museum in May and included in the Museum of Modern Art’s The Art of Assemblage organized by William Seitz the following fall.
    In May, Huysman Gallery, founded by art historian Henry Hopkins, puts on War Babies.
    1962
    Kienholz shows his first life-size installation of a bordello, Roxy’s, at Ferus. It is followed in March by the geometric abstract paintings of Larry Bell. In May, Robert Irwin presents line paintings. In July, Andy Warhol’s first show features the Campbell’s Soup Cans paintings.
    In September, Hopps presents New Painting of Common Objects at the Pasadena Art Museum. The show includes Jim Dine, Robert Dowd, Joe Goode, Philip Hefferton, Roy Lichtenstein, Ed Ruscha, Wayne Thiebaud, and Andy Warhol. Ruscha has the announcement printed at a workshop that usually makes boxing posters.
    Dwan Gallery shows Robert Rauschenberg in March, the same time that Everett Ellin Gallery shows Niki de Saint Phalle and Jean Tinguely.
    Ed Moses shows at the Alan Gallery in March and Billy Al Bengston shows at Martha Jackson Gallery in May, both in New York City.
    Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is published. Peter, Paul and Mary make popular the Bob Dylan song Blowin’ in the Wind .
    Death of Marilyn Monroe in Los Angeles.
    Ken Price moves to Japan, then to Ventura, 1963–1965.
    Pasadena Art Museum gives solo shows to John Altoon and Llyn Foulkes.
    Beginning of Monday night art walks on North La Cienega Boulevard.
    Walter Hopps appointed curator of the Pasadena Art Museum. Oversees Kurt Schwitters retrospective, June 20–July 17.
    Joe Goode’s first solo show is with Dilexi Gallery.
    The first issue of Artforum published by John Irwin in San Francisco.
    1963
    Dwan Gallery shows Martial Raysse, Franz Kline, who had died in 1962, Larry Rivers, Jean Tinguely and Niki de Saint Phalle, and Ed Kienholz. Claes Oldenburg shows soft sculpture at Dwan in October and stages Autobodies, a Happening involving dozens of cars and a parking lot.
    At Ferus: Irving Blum shows New Yorkers Andy Warhol, Frank Stella, and Roy Lichtenstein, as well as L.A.’s John Mason, Ed Moses, Larry Bell, and Ed Ruscha. Ruscha creates his first artist’s book, Twentysix Gasoline Stations .
    More galleries open on North La Cienega Boulevard: Rolf Nelson, director of Dilexi, leaves to open his own gallery and present a Fluxus event Blink . He shows Joe Goode, Llyn Foulkes, and George Herms. Ceeje Gallery shows Charles Garabedian and Edmund Teske. David Stuart Gallery shows Tony Berlant and Dennis Hopper.
    Everett Ellin closes gallery and moves to New York to be director of Marlborough Gallery.
    Edward G. Robinson’s highly regarded collection of Impressionist art is rejected by the trustees of the L.A. County Museum, fearful of his left-leaning politics. It is shown in his Beverly Hills