Back in 1966, the Los Angeles County Museum of Contemporary Art put together an exhibition of local artists called "10 from L.A." It shook the New-York-centric world of art to its roots. The other coast had spoken, loud and clear: The work was cool, unselfconscious, and indifferent to opinion as James Dean’s ducktail.
Seattle art collector Virginia Wright saw to it that her town got a look at it while it was still hot.
As it turned out L.A’s art scene never did cool down. Proof in point a new show, "9 from L.A.," opening over the weekend at the Wright Exhibition Space on Dexter. Many of the same artists seen 47 years back — Ed Ruscha, Billy Al Bengtson, Robert Irwin — are also in the new exhibition, all of them looking cool, unselfconscious and as who-cares as James Franco’s aviator sunglasses.
Best of all, the show’s free.
If you go: "9 from L.A." opens Saturday at the Wright Exhibition Space, 407 Dexter Ave. N., Seattle; 206-264-8200. Open Thursdays and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 2 through April 25. Free.
