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Kristine McKenna

The Ferus Gallery: A Place to Begin Hardcover – November 30, 2009

by Kristine McKenna (Author, Editor)

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In 1950s California, and especially in Los Angeles, there existed few venues for contemporary art. To a whole generation of California artists, this presented a freedom, since the absence of a context for their work meant that they could coin their own, and in uncommonly interesting ways. The careers of Ed Ruscha, Wallace Berman and Ed Kienholz all begin with this absence: Ruscha turned to books as a means of dissemination, Berman pioneered mail art through his magazine Semina and in March 1957, Ed Kienholz, in collaboration with curator Walter Hopps, co-founded one of California's greatest historical galleries, Ferus. Within months of opening, Ferus, which is Latin for "wild," gained notoriety when the Hollywood vice squad raided Berman's first--and, in his lifetime, last--solo exhibition, following a complaint about "lewd material." Shows by Kienholz and Jay DeFeo followed, but 1962 was Ferus' annus mirabilis, with solo shows by Bruce Conner and Joseph Cornell, and the first solo shows of Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol on the west coast. The following year, Ferus also hosted Ed Ruscha's first solo exhibition. After Kienholz and Hopps parted ways--Hopps went on to mount the first American Duchamp retrospective at the Pasadena Art Musuem--the reins were handed to Irving Blum, who got Ferus out of the red and ran the gallery until its closure in 1966. A Place to Begin is an illustrated oral history of this heroic enterprise. With 62 new interviews with Ferus artists and more than 300 photographs (most previously unpublished), it retrieves a lost chapter of twentieth-century American art. Edited by Kristine McKenna, noted expert and co-editor of the critically acclaimed Semina Culture.

Print length

320 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Steidl & Partners
Publication date

November 30, 2009
Dimensions

10.47 x 1.3 x 10.47 inches
ISBN-10

3865216102
ISBN-13

978-3865216106
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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Steidl & Partners; First Edition (November 30, 2009)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 3865216102
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-3865216106
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3.77 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 10.47 x 1.3 x 10.47 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #4,472,960 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #8,050 in Collections, Catalogs & Exhibitions
- #25,154 in Art History (Books)

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5.0 6 ratings

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Donald Factor

LA Art Rediscovered

Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2010

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During the period covered in this book I was not only living in Los Angeles but was spending a good part of my time -- and money! -- In the company of this book's main characters. During those years -- the late 50'sthrough to the late 60's -- Los Angeles had a vibrant art scene that remained virtually unknown beyond it boundaries. For more than 30 years New York was treated as the only wheel in town when it came to new art in America. But this finally changed as the result of a couple of major museum shows and a video film called The Cool School produced by Christine McKenna, who is also the author of this book. Now, The Ferus gallery has appeared and fills in many of the gaps. The Ferus Gallery, as an art gallery, has become emblematic of that period and place, but was certainly not the whole thing. And so by focusing on the late Walter Hopps, an art dealer, museum director and mentor to a generation of both artists and collectors, she has created a picture of the birth and maturity of an artistic avant garde with world-wide significance.

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Mary E. Kerr

Ferus Gallery Scene

Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2010

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Excellent account of the late 50s/60s Los Angeles avant garde artists. Comments from the actual participants with their photographs bring this innovative, energetic scene alive. Thanks to Kristine McKenna's extensive research and dedication, we now have an accurate portrayal of how the Ferus developed from it's rough, creative beginning to become a fashionable, successful gallery. The lost of the early spirit that forged it makes the history somewhat bittersweet. The rebels were embraced, money came into the equation, and the original vitality disappeared. Fortunately, not all was lost. Some of this unusual work is still around today, and we can see for ourselves what a wonderful period that was for California artists.

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Susan Spencer

2 Ferus Galleries, the old and the new...

Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2016

The Ferus Gallery was really two places the original Ferus was owned by Ed Kienholz and Wally Hopps and was run on a shoestring and with the help of Sadie Moss did get some attention. The first show there in 1957 of Wallace Bermans works (and friends) was disastrous when it's owner called the vice squad to come in and raid the place. Ed was seeking to get write ups and that he did. Kristine McKenna did a Fabulous job on researching this gallery that produced some of today's well known names in the art world. For some of these artists had their first shows there. Ed Kienholz would rather be doing his art and eventually gave up his part in the Ferus. Later so would Watler Hopps giving away his shares in it for nothing for his part in it little knowing what a success the new owner would make it. Thanks Kristine for coming up from reviewing the punk rock scene in the early '80s for the L.A. Weekly to becoming a researcher writer of some note...Cheers

Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2011

I enjoyed the hell out of this book. I got it from the "library" at our local arts supply store after seeing the movie "The Cool School - Birth of Los Angeles Art," which was awesome. This book is good on its own and very well structured, with bios of the key artists followed by a chronological timeline told in the player's (mostly artists) words.

My favorite artists in the book were John Altoon, Ed Moses, and Hassel Smith. I've seen some of Moses' work around, but not much of Altoon and Smith's and will be looking further. There are some breathtaking images of Altoon's paintings. Smith I know from his figurative period, but he seems to have had a lot of different styles/periods.

Also loved the cross pollination with San Francisco and New York. Really good book. And don't forget the movie (see title above).

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Nee Montgomery

For the Ferus minded

Reviewed in the United States on December 5, 2009

Immaculately written, and filled with details (and wonderful photos) about this magical time in the art world in Los Angeles.

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The Sponge

The Ferus Gallery: A Place to Begin

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 2, 2011

Verified Purchase

Very interesting book which covers the history of a Los Angeles art gallery. It has masses of wonderful photographs and is full of interesting information. Buy it if you are interested in the California art scene , or contemporary art in general.

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The Ferus Gallery: A Place to Begin Hardcover – November 30, 2009

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