California museums unite to chronicle post-war LA art scene

More than 60 California cultural institutions are coming together to tell the story of the birth of the Los Angeles art scene, in the largest such collaboration ever undertaken in the region.

Southern California museums and university programmes such as the Getty Museum, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Hammer Museum and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Chicano Studies Research Centre will take part in the  2011-2012 event, titled "Pacific Standard Time: Art in LA 1945-1980", organisers said on Thursday.

Each of the institutions will make a contribution to the story of art and social change in Los Angeles through simultaneous exhibitions and programmes.

"What began as an effort to document the milestones in this region's artistic history has expanded until it is now becoming a great creative landmark in itself," said Deborah Marrow, interim president of the J Paul Getty Trust, which has initiated the event through grants totaling $10 million.

"We know that this era has had a million moments of impact on arts and culture across the United States and beyond," added Mark Siegel, chairman of the Getty's Board of Trustees.

The event will begin in October 2011 and will run through April 2012 at locations including Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Barbara and Palm Springs.

The exhibitions, festivals and programmes will showcase the influence of post-war California architecture, Pop Art, the emergence of African-American artists and 1970s feminist performance art.