Sonny, 1961, Billy Al Bengston. Oil on Masonite. 36 x 36 in. Billy Al Bengston Studio Holdings. © Billy Al Bengston. Photo by Brian Forrest

Stage II, 1958, Karl Benjamin. Oil on canvas. 50 x 70 in. Collection of Louis Stern. © Karl Benjamin, courtesy Louis Stern Fine Arts. ©Photography by Gerard Vuilleumier

Standard Station, Amarillo, Texas, 1963, Ed Ruscha. Oil on canvas. 64 1/2 x 121 3/4 in. Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire; gift of James Meeker, Class of 1958, in memory of Lee English, Class of 1958, scholar, poet, athlete and friend to all. © Ed Ruscha

Tap Dancer, 1967, Stephan von Huene. Wood, metal, and mechanical components. 47 1/4 x 35 7/16 x 29 1/2 in. Collection of Nancy Reddin Kienholz. © Petra von Huene. Photo: Sebastian Hartz

The Future as Afterthought, 1962, Edward Kienholz. Paint and resin on plastic and rubber doll parts with sheet metal, tricycle pedals, and wood. 54 x 21 x 16 15/16 in. Onnasch Collection. © Nancy Reddin Kienholz. Photo courtesy L.A. Louver, Venice, CA

The Librarian, 1960, George Herms. Wooden box, papers, books, loving cup, and painted stool. 57 x 63 x 21 in. Norton Simon Museum, Gift of Molly Barnes. © George Herms

The Los Angeles County Museum on Fire, 1965–68, Ed Ruscha. Oil on canvas. 53 1/2 x 133 1/2 in. Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., Gift of Joseph H. Hirshhorn, 1972. © Ed Ruscha. Photography by Lee Stalsworth

The Mexican Night Clerk, 1960–65, Gordon Wagner. Mixed media, 81 15/16 x 34 x 4 3/4 in. Tobey C. Moss Gallery, Los Angeles, CA. © Estate of Gordon Wagner

The Phrenologer's Window, 1966, Betye Saar. Assemblage of two-panel wood frame with print and collage. 18 1/2 x 29 3/8 x 1 in. Private collection, courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, LLC, New York, NY. © Betye Saar

Topanga Seed, 1969–70, Wallace Berman. Dolomite rock and transfer letters. 39 x 40 3/4 x 41 in. Collection of the Grinstein Family. Permission courtesy of the Estate of Wallace Berman and Michael Kohn Gallery, Los Angeles

Torn Cloud Painting 73, 1972, Joe Goode. Oil on canvas. 72 x 96 in. Collection of Joe Goode & Hiromi Katayama. © Joe Goode

Untitled, 1952, John McLaughlin. Oil and casein on fiberboard. 32 1/8 x 48 1/8 in. Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., Joseph H. Hirshhorn Purchase Fund, 1991. Photographer: Lee Stalsworth

Untitled, 1970, Frederick Eversley. Three-color, three-layer cast polyester. 20 x 20 x 6 in. Collection of the artist. © Frederick Eversley

Untitled, 1967, Robert Graham. Polyurethane resin. 8 5/16 x 11 7/16 x 11 1/8 in. Collection of Ed Ruscha. © Estate of Robert Graham

Untitled, 1969, Larry Bell. Mineral-coated glass. 40 x 40 x 40 in. Courtesy The Pace Gallery. © Larry Bell. Photo by Ellen Labenski