Craig Kaufman – 1960s plastic art goodness

I watched the PBS documentary “the Cool School” a few months ago, and then picked it up again the other night.  My wife (http://blog.hippiecouture.com) and I are fascinated with the 60s, and the documentary shows some extra cool art as it emerged in LA during the 1950s and 60s at the Ferus Gallery.  I am particularly taken with the work by Craig Kaufman, as, if you know me at all, I have a deep fascination with shiny plastic.  Plastic is a motivating factor in the creation of my slobots, and Kaufman uses it in a masterful way.  The pieces I am highlighting here are from a series of work from the 60s that is created in vacuum formed acrylic plastic.  You can read some more about Kaufman on wikipedia

The Ferus Gang (Group Portrait of Artists from the Ferus Gallery), 1962.
(Left to Right: John Altoon, Craig Kauffman, Allen Lynch, Ed Kienholz, Ed Moses, Robert Irwin, Billy Al Bengston). Photo by Patricia Faure.