Another one of L.A.’s major long-time galleries is LA Louver just off Venice Beach. When I was at the Ken Price reception last week, seeing so many familiar faces, I remembered the 1986 party I attended for the 10th anniversary of that gallery. The evening was also a foil for a surprise birthday party for the gallery’s founder — Englishman Peter Goulds.

I first met Peter a year before I moved to L.A. when he came to Chicago for the opening of a major Edward and Nancy Reddin Kienholz exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA). That exhibition included the fantastic Kienholz’s 1977 work entitled The Art Show (now owned by the Berlinische Galerie Museum of Modern Art) that was re-titled The Chicago Art Show for our presentation.

Peter and his long time gallery director Kimberly Davis have since become dear friends of mine — first when we worked together on the many projects surrounding their long-time representation of David Hockney, and for decades since as I have followed their amazing program and promotion of their artists in museums and private collections around the world. 

LA Louver’s Peter Goulds. Photo: Jim McHugh.

LA Louver’s Peter Goulds (founder, director), Tony Bevan (artist), Elizabeth East (director), Kimberly Davis (director), and Glenys Johnson. Photo: Jim McHugh.

The LA Louver Gallery has for several years been at work creating an amazing archival website documenting their long history and the accomplishments of the many artists they have represented over the years.  After all my nostalgia for that wonderful era they were able to provide me with photographs taken during that 10th anniversary party almost thirty years ago. Do visit LA Louver’s wonderful website — I could spend hours surfing around it, www.lalouver.com.

Click here  to read entire blog entry and see images from L.A. Louver’s 1986 Anniversary party.