Momentary Blasts of Unexpected Light: The Visionary Art of Burt Shonberg" Exhibition Catalog
This lavishly illustrated new catalog accompanies the exhibition "Momentary Blasts of Unexpected Light: The Visionary Art of Burt Shonberg" a major exhibit of the artworks of Burt Shonberg (b. March 30, 1933 - d. September 16, 1977) in PRS’s Hansell Gallery. The exhibit is co-presented by The Philosophical Research Society and Stephen Romano Gallery in Brooklyn, NY.
The exhibit has been generously sponsored by Los Angeles's 4th City Council District Office and the Los Angeles Breakfast Club.
The catalog features essays on Shonberg's work by the late filmmaker Roger Corman, exhibition producer Stephen Romano, PRS executive director Dennis Bartok, Shonberg biographer Spencer Kansa, film historian Justin Humphreys, and art historians Brian Chidester and Robert Cozzolino -- along with stunning reproductions of a number of Shonberg's paintings and rare drawings, including some that haven't been exhibited publicly for decades. Designed by dama, this new catalog is only available through the Philosophical Research Society to celebrate the "Momentary Blasts of Unexpected Light" exhibit.
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.
60 pgs., 8.5x11", 100 lb. silk paper
