Working in both painting and sculpture, Billy Al Bengston is known for his psychedelically colorful works. He is also a motorcycle racer, surfer, and has a penchant for the sublime rather than perfection.

He studied at the California College of Arts and Crafts where he developed a radical aesthetic, which, combined with his already highly developed skills, taxed the faculty to such an extent that they asked him to leave after only one year. After moving to Los Angeles, Bengston began showing at the famed Ferus Gallery and established himself as part of a group that rejected the stereotype of the artist as a tormented individual.

Bengston is represented in many important public collections including The Museum of Modern Art, NY; Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C.; Whitney Museum of American Art in New York; the Art Institute of Chicago; the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; and the Centre Pompidou in Paris, France.

More Information
Artist Website
New York Times