Comments (0) Best Gallery to Laugh at the Art - 2010
Fake Gallery
Today it’s the Fake Gallery, but “apparently in the ’50s and ’60s, it was called Mother Neptune’s,” explains current owner Paul Kozlowski. “It was a coffeehouse where Ray Manzarek says he met Jim Morrison. And then in the ’90s, it was a punk-rock club. When we walked in, the place was gutted. I started filling it with paintings to distract people from the kicked-in walls.” A comedy writer and performer, Kozlowski’s sense of humor is evident in most of the art, which he describes as “post-post-modern.” The names of a few of his paintings: Chunky Canary, Wheel of Judgment, Visit Scenic Provolonia, Crazy Person Magazine. There are innovative comedy presentations here every month, such as The Fake Show (“1984 meets Ed Sullivan”), The David Feldman Podcast (“A modern-day Jack Benny Show”) and The Heliotrope Dramatic Society (“overly dramatic original productions”). Kozlowski sells a lot of the art when the space is open during comedy shows. (Robin Williams and Bill Maher own pieces of his work.) You can call to make an appointment if you want to see the artwork; the place doesn’t have regular hours. The website lists dates and admission prices for comedy shows. 4319 Melrose Ave., Hlywd. (323) 644-4946, fakedotcom.com. —Todd David Schwartz
