Explore the Era

Delve into the postwar Los Angeles art world in this online archive, which provides additional material related to the exhibitions on view at the Getty Center. Learn about hipsters and happenings, and the venues across the city where all the action took place through images from the archives and first-hand accounts with the artists.

From the Archive

Poster for Vija Celmins exhibition

Poster for Vija Celmins exhibition at David Stuart Galleries in Los Angeles, February 28-March 26, 1966. © Vija Celmins. The Getty Research Institute, Gift of Michael Asher, 2009.M.30.13

In 1963, after having run the Primus-Stuart gallery with Edward Primus for two years, David Stuart opened his own gallery, showing pre-Columbian art and artifacts as well as works by contemporary artists such as Vija Celmins. This copy of the poster for her first solo exhibition was signed and dedicated to the collector Betty Asher.

Historic Map Locations

Works of Art

  • Freeway

    Freeway, 1966, Vija Celmins. Oil on canvas. 17 1/2 x 26 3/8 in. Collection of Harold Cook, Ph.D. © Vija Celmins. Image courtesy McKee Gallery, New York

Explore the Archive

  • Video: Vija Celmins

    Video: Vija Celmins speaks about her work, February 2011

  • Video: the postwar L.A. gallery scene

    Video: Making the Scene—find out about the L.A. gallery scene during the postwar years

  • Video: Riko Mizuno, Vija Celmins, and Ed Moses

    Video: Riko Mizuno, Vija Celmins, and Ed Moses speak about the Mizuno Gallery, 2009–11