Advance of the Rear Guard

The art of earlier times in Los Angeles is a treasure waiting to be unearthed. Hidden in plain sight, unconventional and lyrical works by an ethnically diverse phalanx of artists who exhibited far from the mainstream at the Ceeje Gallery in the 1960s - the dream come true of the gay couple Cecil Hedrick and Jerry Jerome - can be found there.the Los Angeles art scene in the 1960s encompassed far more than Ed Ruscha and Robert Irwin. A whole range of lesser-known artists illustrate the social and cultural upheavals that characterised this volatile decade. Ceeje exhibited some of the most eccentric artists. The gallery focussed on painters who combined an expressionist style with mythical figures and florid narratives. Ceeje was known for its inclusive approach, inviting artists of different colours and perspectives to create challenging art together, regardless of the commercial market.