The pawnshop that prohibits sunglasses, the shady taco stand and the well-trafficked apothecary in the strip mall just east of Santa Monica and Highland are, weirdly, less mysterious than one of their neighbors. That neighbor with barred, blackened windows is Redling Fine Art, a gallery that has been holding its own in that enclave since early 2012. When the gallery's artists have incorporated the space's intimidating exterior, creating a curtained waiting room in the entryway like Liz Glynn did or building metal frames you nearly collide with when you walk through the door like Dash Manly did, the effect has been impressive. 6757 Santa Monica Blvd., Hlywd. (323) 230-7415, redlingfineart.com. —Catherine Wagley

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