Chapter 4 Summary and Analysis

Irwin grows discontented with his show at the Felix Landau Gallery in Los Angeles. It is then that he realizes how unhappy he is with his work. His dissatisfaction compels him to begin an association with the Ferus Gallery, which fostered the coming of age of the modernist artist in LA in the sixties. The Ferus Gallery was established by two young artists and art enthusiasts, Walter Hopps and Edward Kienholz. Even though Irwin's art was still on display at Landau, Irwin begins spending all his time with the artists at Landau, where he is greatly influenced by several of them.

Although the level of artistry is superb in Irwin's eyes, Ferus is not making many sales—which they need in order to stay in business. Irving Blum, an entrepreneur from New York, comes to the rescue and greatly improves...