Los Angeles, CA – After more than five decades, the vibrant and transcendental art of Burt Shonberg will once again illuminate the art scene in Los Angeles. Through December 21 2024, art enthusiasts and fans alike will have the unique opportunity to experience an ambitious exhibition of Shonberg's captivating paintings at The Philosophical Research Society in association with Stephen Romano Gallery in Brooklyn.
Portrait of Sheldon “Shelly” Jaman (1933 — 2024) by Burt Shonberg, which the subject wished to have in his place until his passing Seen for the first time ever in
MOMENTARY BLASTS OF UNEXPECTED LIGHT:
THE VISIONARY ART OF BURT SHONBERG
PRESENTED BY THE PHILOSOPHICAL RESEARCH SOCIETY
AND STEPHEN ROMANO GALLERY
OCTOBER 24 – DECEMBER 21.
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Installation view of MOMENTARY BLASTS OF UNEXPECTED LIGHT:
THE VISIONARY ART OF BURT SHONBERG
PRESENTED BY THE PHILOSOPHICAL RESEARCH SOCIETY
AND STEPHEN ROMANO GALLERY
OCTOBER 24 – DECEMBER 21
Installation view of MOMENTARY BLASTS OF UNEXPECTED LIGHT:
THE VISIONARY ART OF BURT SHONBERG
PRESENTED BY THE PHILOSOPHICAL RESEARCH SOCIETY
AND STEPHEN ROMANO GALLERY
OCTOBER 24 – DECEMBER 21
Burt Shonberg, who gained fame during the dynamic cultural landscape of the 1960s, is best known for his stunning murals that adorned the walls of popular coffeehouses and clubs along the iconic Sunset Strip. His work transcended mere decoration — it became an integral part of the era’s music culture, featuring prominently on album covers for legendary bands such as Love, capturing the uprising in psychedelic consciousness and artistic fervor of the time.
His work was prominently featured in Roger Corman’s Vincent Price-starring horror film “The Fall of the House of Usher” and “The Premature Burial” starring Ray Milland. The Latter film never showed the entire painting and a contemporary print of the whole artwork is included in the exhibition for the first time ever.
Of this magnificent work, film historian Justin Humphreys writes in the exhibition catalog:
“As for Shonberg's key Premature Burial painting, that film's original screenplay by fantasists Charles Beaumont and Ray Russell offers insight into its creation. The painting's title, "'Tis a Consummation Devoutly to Be Wished," is a quote from Hamlet's "To be or not to be" soliloquy. Shonberg essentially followed Beaumont and Russell's description:
The CAMERA moves slowly from left to right, allowing us to study each detail of the huge canvas. It is very near completion—only a few areas have yet to be filled in. It is a fantastic, wild work of searing colors that seems almost like a scene from some symbol-laden Hell. Against an unreal background of erupting craters that appear to be spouting blood instead of lava, we see a writhing montage of all the gruesome inhumanities man has ever visited upon man: victims of both sexes submit, half-naked, to the agonies of crucifixion, of stoning, of being ripped apart by horses, of impalement, of disembowelment, of being lowered into cauldrons of boiling oil, of burning at the stake, of hanging from the gibbet, of kneeling at the guillotine, of the garrote, the rack, the wheel, the Iron Maiden, the whipping post, the branding iron . . . on it goes, a hideously vivid phantasmagoria, vast, detailed, endless.”
Roger Corman wrote in tribute to Burt Shonberg before his passing in April of 2024:
“Burt Shonberg first came to my attention in the late 1950s. By this point he was already the preeminent psychedelic artist of Los Angeles; was at the forefront of new approaches to painting, influencing a style that would come to define an entire era; and his use of psychedelic colors, combined with surrealistic compositions, resulted in unusual but highly arresting paintings and murals…
..Burt painted (a portrait) that seemed to mimic an element of double exposure photography but in a fiery psychedelic red that seemed to burn through the canvas like a Turner on acid.”
Exhibition producer Stephen Romano writes:
“One of my earliest recollections, and a pivotal moment in my evolution, was when at the age of ten, in our frigidly cold basement in Montreal, I snuck down-stairs at midnight on a Saturday evening to watch on our cheap small black and white TV the midnight showing of Roger Corman's masterpiece adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher". As a young artist, I was simply awe-struck by the impact of the psychological and emotional power the art brought to the storytelling, and how the art in this film opened for me a whole new world of the esoteric and surreal. It was only to be 40 years later that Brian Chidester walked into my gallery in Bushwick Brooklyn, and showed me who auteur was. The father of Los Angeles psychedelic art, modern-day healer, sorcerer, and medicine man.. a true witch who had "knowledge, will, courage, and silence"*, Burt Shonberg.”
Previously unseen in it’s entirety, the late Roger Corman commissioned Burt Shonberg to create this work “Tis a Consummation Devoutly to Be Wished” for the 1962 film “The Premature Burial. The exhibition includes a contemporary print courtesy of David Del Valle.
MOMENTARY BLASTS OF UNEXPECTED LIGHT:
THE VISIONARY ART OF BURT SHONBERG
PRESENTED BY THE PHILOSOPHICAL RESEARCH SOCIETY
AND STEPHEN ROMANO GALLERY
OCTOBER 24 – DECEMBER 21
Managed by Marshall Berle, who also guided the careers of rock greats like Spirit, Ratt, and early Van Halen, Shonberg carved out a niche that defined an era. His only solo exhibition took place in 1967, and since then, his art has been virtually unseen until a posthumous exhibition garnered rave reviews in 2022 at the Buckland Witchcraft Museum in Cleveland.
Several works in this exhibition have never been seen in public before. Four featured works were in the collection of Sheldon Jaman, who passed away in the late summer of 2024. Sheldon’s wish was to be surrounded by these works until his passing. It was Sheldon’s wish that the works be included in the exhibition.
Suzan Alparslan, whom Sheldon considered his niece and was his loving friend, wrote the following on a text panel on display in the exhibition:
Four works formerly in the collection of the late Sheldon “Shelly” Jaman (1933 — 2024) are included in the exhibition
MOMENTARY BLASTS OF UNEXPECTED LIGHT:
THE VISIONARY ART OF BURT SHONBERG
PRESENTED BY THE PHILOSOPHICAL RESEARCH SOCIETY
AND STEPHEN ROMANO GALLERY
OCTOBER 24 – DECEMBER 21
”In the late 1950’s and early 60’s, Sheldon “Shelly” Jaman (1933 — 2024) found himself in the middle of the burgeoning counterculture art scene of Los Angeles. While he, himself, was not an artist, he was a whimsical, creative presence who served as a muse for several artists of the day who he’d befriended, including Shonberg, as well as “Vito” Paulekas, leader of the Southern California “freak scene” of the 1960’s.
Shelly met Shonberg on Sunset Blvd. The two struck up a friendship and, soon after, Shelly was immortalized in a portrait by the artist. He was proud to be a subject of Shonberg’s, whose art spoke to, and, even partially, influenced his own personal interest in psychedelia.
Aside from the portrait of himself, Shelly acquired three other Shonberg paintings, back in the early 60’s. He would treasure them as his most prized possessions for over 60 years. In his final few years, the four paintings adorned the walls of his modest bedroom, where he passed away early last month. He is survived by nieces, nephews, and their families, all of whom find the presence of these paintings in this exhibit to be nothing short of kismet.”
This exhibition marks a significant milestone not only in honoring Shonberg’s legacy but also in reintroducing his art to the Los Angeles community where it thrived. The exhibition features many never-before-seen works, offering a rare glimpse into the artist's creative evolution. Notably, the collection will include works from the private collection of Burt Shonbur’s nephew, offering the first ever insight into Burt Shonberg’s formative teenage years as an artist.
Burt Shonberg “Stamp Out Intolerance, Racial Hatred” 1948. The artist made this work when he was 16 years old. It is seen for the first time ever in the exhibition MOMENTARY BLASTS OF UNEXPECTED LIGHT:
THE VISIONARY ART OF BURT SHONBERG
PRESENTED BY THE PHILOSOPHICAL RESEARCH SOCIETY
AND STEPHEN ROMANO GALLERY
OCTOBER 24 – DECEMBER 21
Visitors can acquire a comprehensive exhibition catalog that includes striking new images and insightful essays reflecting on Shonberg’s contributions to the art world and music culture. This is a chance to delve deeper into the story of an artist whose work resonated with the vibrant energy of 1960s California. Catalog contributors include Shonberg’s biographer Spencer Kansa who wrote a fascinating book on the subject of Burt Shonberg “Out There: The Transcendental Life and Art of Burt Shonberg” who writes:
”I believe you can make a compelling argument that Burt beat him to the punch when it came to creating one of America’s earliest examples of pop art. In 1958, in partnership with his pal, the science fiction scribe, George Clayton Johnson, Burt opened Café Frankenstein, a kicky, beatniky den of delights in Laguna Beach. As fans of the Universal creature features, they viewed the movie monster as their patron saint, and, to celebrate this, Burt enshrined him in a faux stained glass portrait on the cafe’s bay window. ”
The Cafe Frankenstein in Laguna Beach 1958- 1962 owned by Folk Singer Doug Miers, screenwriter and poet George Clayton Johnson and artist Burt Shonberg.
Philosophical Research Society Director Dennis Bartok says:
“Like many, I was briefly, almost accidentally introduced to Shonberg's work through his paintings for Roger Corman's early 1960s Poe adaptation “HOUSE OF USHER”. But if I was aware at all of the weird, tortured paintings Shonberg created for the film (and which are now sadly lost), they registered as production design elements, and not the work of a truly unique and pioneering West Coast artist whose creative output is only now gaining the attention it deserved all along. The fact that Shonberg's fabulous and often Universal Horror-inspired murals for L.A. coffeehouses are now apparently all vanished, preserved only in a few vintage photographs, is a testament to the ephemeral nature of the muralist as artist and L.A.'s penchant for chewing up and spitting out its own past.”
Installation view of MOMENTARY BLASTS OF UNEXPECTED LIGHT:
THE VISIONARY ART OF BURT SHONBERG
PRESENTED BY THE PHILOSOPHICAL RESEARCH SOCIETY
AND STEPHEN ROMANO GALLERY
OCTOBER 24 – DECEMBER 21
The exhibition is available in the Philosophical Research Society’s bookstore or online
MOMENTARY BLASTS OF UNEXPECTED LIGHT:
THE VISIONARY ART OF BURT SHONBERG
PRESENTED BY THE PHILOSOPHICAL RESEARCH SOCIETY
AND STEPHEN ROMANO GALLERY
OCTOBER 24 – DECEMBER 21
Step into Shonberg’s vibrant world, where colors and creativity collide at this exceptional celebration of the artist’s artistic legacy. Immerse yourself in the enchanting ambiance that once graced a generation of coffeehouses and music venues, as we revive the spirit of an era filled with inspiration and innovation.
Experience the captivating collection of Shonberg’s work, showcasing his unique ability to capture the essence of life through vivid hues and dynamic compositions.
Each piece tells a story, inviting you to explore the artist's profound connection to the cultural movements that shaped our history.
Don't miss your chance to witness history revitalized—come be a part of this artistic journey that honors the past while inspiring the future. Mark your calendar and prepare for an unforgettable experience that celebrates the timeless impact of Burt Shonberg’s art!
The exhibition is at
The Philosophical Research Society
Hansell Gallery Hours: Tuesday-Friday 12-6pm
and by appointment (info@prs.org)
Please email events@prs.org or phone 323-663-2167 with any questions.
Visit www.prs.org to view current event listings, course offerings, shop the online bookstore,
and sign up for email announcements.
THIS EXHIBIT IS PRESENTED WITH THE GENEROUS SPONSORSHIP OF
THE LOS ANGELES BREAKFAST CLUB AND LA'S 4TH CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT OFFICE
The Philosophical Research Society
3910 Los Feliz Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90027
323.663.2167
info [at] prs.org
Official press release
*quoted from the 1971 Bruce Kessler film “Simon, King of the Witches”
