Pacific Standard Time

Los Angeles Art, 1945-1980
In postwar Los Angeles, artists were engaged in the development of an indigenous modernism- one that drew on the cultures, communities, and industries specific to the region, both paying attention to yet remaining distinct from the development of national and international modernisms elsewhere. But despite the originality of the works they created and the fact that many of the most influential artists and art movements of the latter part of the twentieth century have strong ties to Southern California, the region's art history has often been overshadowed by contemporaneous developments in New York's headline-grabbing art scene. For the first time, Pacific Standard Time: Los Angeles Art, 1945-1980 documents the tremendous diversity of Los Angeles' postwar art history - a history that is fundamentally different when told from a West Coast perspective. Featuring the work of many world-famous names, including Judy Chicago, David Hammons, David Hockney, Ed Kienholz and Ed Ruscha, this book will also introduce several artists less well known to an audience outside the US, making it an invaluable resource for years to come.