Directed by Morgan Neville and narrated by Jeff Bridges, The Cool School (2008) is an object lesson in how to build an art scene from scratch and what to avoid in the process. The film focuses on the seminal Ferus Gallery, which groomed the LA art scene from a loose band of idealistic beatniks into a coterie of competitive, often brilliant artists, including Ed Kienholz, Ed Ruscha, Craig Kauffman, Wallace Berman, Ed Moses, and Robert Irwin. The Ferus also served as launching pad for New York imports Andy Warhol (hosting his first Soup Can show), Jasper Johns, and Roy Lichtenstein, as well as leading to the first Pop Art show and Marcel Duchamp's first retrospective. What was lost and gained is tied up in a complex web of egos, passions, money, and art. The Cool School includes interviews with John Baldessari, Frank Gehry, Dennis Hopper, Robert Irwin, Ed Ruscha, and Dean Stockwell, among many others. 85 minutes. Tickets are $5 for Parrish members, $7 for nonmembers.
“A story that deserves to be told often and as loudly as possible.” — New York Times
