MICHAEL BOWEN
Rinaldo, this picture is very rare. This is the gallery that preceded Ferus Gallery in L.A. with Kienholz, Berman, and the others. This is from 1956 but I made the sign out of old plywood and light bulbs inside that lit the Now gallery sign up, when I was about 17 years old helping Kienholz. It was on La Cienaga Blvd. in Los Angeles. When Ed Kienholz got this gallery started, it attracted Walter Hopps who became famous towards the end of his life as the head of the Corcoran, the National Gallery in Washington. Just check Google for Michael Bowen, must have phrase, and Hopps and you will see a great deal. Hopps had an accident about three years ago at his house and died, but this is a very famous pre-beat generation photograph of the L.A. art scene just beginning. I don’t think there is another photograph in existence of it. The Beat generation in L.A. just like in Italy or New York or San Francisco, was all one group who all interconnected in some way or another. The only difference is that nobody called us the beat generation until a few years later. I hope it is of historical interest. Ciao, Michael
posted on 5 november 2007
many thanks to michael
