Burt Shonberg was one of the premiere psychedelic and esoteric artists in Los Angeles in the 1950s and 1960s. He was a close friend and associate of artist, poet, and actress, Marjorie Cameron. Shonberg also embraced the Fourth Way system of Gurdjieff, and his canvases began to reflect the mystical illumination inspired by his higher states of consciousness. His work was prominently featured in Roger Corman’s Vincent Price-starring horror film The Fall of the House of Usher and on the walls of venues like the long-gone, bohemian Laguna Beach coffeehouse Café Frankenstein. His paintings of mythical creatures in fantastic landscapes have only recently begun to attract the attention they deserve. From the late 1950s until his premature death in 1977, Shonberg was a highly admired artist of his time in Los Angeles. During this period, his eye-popping murals graced the facades and interiors of popular coffeehouses and clubs along the Sunset Strip. His paintings also adorned notable rock album covers by bands like Love and others.
Opening reception will be followed by a conversation in the PRS Auditorium between collector, curator and Shonberg expert Stephen Romano from his home in Brooklyn, along with acclaimed author and Shonberg biographer Spencer Kansa and film historian & author Justin Humphreys.
Featuring William H. Mortensen, Wolfgang Grasse, Charles Dellschau, A Fiorello, William Blayney, Albrecht Durer, Jacob Bohme, Jordan Barlow, Darcílio Lima, Josh Stebbins, Edward Colver, Chris Stein, Matthew Bede Murphy, Barry William Hale, Daniel Gonçalves , Destiny Turner, Kim Bo Yung, Alexis Karl, Courtney Brooke Hall, Dan Barry, Ken Weaver, Erik Bergrin, Cormac Figgis, Ray Robinson, Ellen Stagg, India Evans, Dolorosa De La Cruz, Thann Clark, Adam De Ville, Brittany Rose Luciani, Shane Michael Donnelly, Ebon Flowe, Dominic Murphy, Sam Wellington, Matthew Dutton, and others.
Featuring works by William Mortensen (1897-1965), alongside the photographic art of Chris Stein, Edward Colver, Courtney Brooke Hall, Cormac Figgis, Brittany Rose Luciani, Andres Serrano, Adam De Ville, Ken Weaver, Erik Bergrin and Alexis Palmer Karl.
A Virtual Tour of the Collections of Esoteric Art Dealer STEPHEN ROMANO
Featuring the art of William Mortensen, Lorena Torres Martell, Brittany Rose Luciani, Edward Colver, Matthew Dutton as well as vintage, vernacular and anonymous photography.
OCTOBER 22 - DECEMBER 6 2022, Wyrd War Gallery Portland, Oregon
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