NORTON SIMON MUSEUM GAZES AT MODERN ART THROUGH 'CHROMATIC EYE'.

Byline: Linda Hutchinson Staff Writer

Wend your way down to the basement, through the Asian art collection, onto a quiet little arm of the newly restored Norton Simon Museum. What you'll find sort of bursts with controlled magnitude.

The museum's new exhibit, ``The Chromatic Eye: New York Paintings and Prints From the 1960s,'' on display now through Oct. 22, sits neat and small, serving up a quartet of modernists on a veritable little art cocktail cracker, poised to introduce the palate of museum patrons to modern art.

``And that is exactly what I was hoping to achieve with this show,'' said assistant curator and modern-art specialist Michelle Deziel, who co-curated this exhibit with Christine Knoke. ``I was really hoping to introduce some of these artists to people in the community who are not as familiar, or not as accepting of modern art.''

The exhibit presents modernist works created between 1964 and 1968 by four important artists from the period: Helen Frankenthaler, Ellsworth Kelly, Kenneth Noland and Frank Stella. Part of the New York School of artists, this second generation of abstract painters employed methods unlike those of their immediate predecessors, the ``action artists,'' like Jackson Pollock.

More controlled, precise images, and the elimination of brush strokes, collectively describes these works. Individually, each artist makes a unique visual comment on a modern life, a life impacted by commercialism, industrialism and mass production - not only of products, but images as well.

``These artists all knew each other and they're from the same time period,'' said Deziel. ``So it was just a perfect opportunity to put all these works together; they just work so well together.''

There's a pretty strong argument, however, that the show also serves as a reminder that Pasadena was once a lightning rod for modern art.

Norton Simon was not a collector of modern art. The works that make up ``Chromatic Eye'' were originally part of the Pasadena Art Museum, which opened in 1954 and which, by all accounts, emerged as the most progressive art institution in Southern California. Originally located at the present site of the Pacific Asia Museum on Los Robles Avenue, the Pasadena Art Museum moved to a newly constructed building, and that was its undoing. Plagued by debt, its administration approached Norton Simon, who was, at that time, in search of a home for his collection.

In 1974, Simon moved into the building and melded the Pasadena Art Museum's modern art collection into his own. In 1999, a ground-breaking exhibit titled ``The Radical Past'' brought it all back. A combined effort of the Armory Center for the Arts, Art Center, One Colorado and the Norton Simon, this city-wide event put on display works that hadn't been shown since 1974.

``It was a reintroduction of works from the Pasadena Art Museum ... and was perfect timing for the organization which was looking to become more user friendly and to just be more 'out there,' '' said Deziel.

Still inspired by the show, Deziel says that ``Chromatic Eye'' is an outgrowth of ``the radical past,'' and she said she hopes the current show carries and continues the same spirit of showing modern art to help create a greater appreciation.

Bill Peregrin lives in that unnamed territory between San Marino and San Gabriel. As he stands in one of the gallery doorways, he points to Ellsworth Kelly's ``Blue Over White,'' which is a giant double canvas; one half is completely blue, the other is completely white.

``That looks like my garage!'' he says with a laugh. ``But some of the other ones, they're just blobs.''

Deziel has heard it before: ``You know, that's always difficult because people want to accept it or they don't ... for whatever reason, modern art is an elusive concept to a lot of people. I usually just say (to the disinterested) that not all art impresses or evokes emotion in everyone, and if it doesn't do anything for them, then it doesn't, but these are important artists. These are influential artists, and they have made major contributions to the history of art.''

``THE CHROMATIC EYE:

NEW YORK PAINTINGS AND PRINTS FROM THE 1960s''

Where: Norton Simon Museum, 411 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena.

When: Noon to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, Saturday and Sunday; noon to 9 p.m. Friday. Through Oct. 22.

Tickets: $6 general, $3 seniors and children, free for students.

Info: [phone].

Coming attractions

``The Art of Play: Games and Amusements'': Now through Dec. 3

A whimsical look at game playing and lively amusement in art. Featured Western artists include Edouard Vuillard, Paul Klee and Rembrandt van Rijn. The museum's Indian chess set from circa 1850 will also be exhibited, as will additional Asian masterpieces.

``Pop Culture!'':

Nov. 16. to Feb 11

One of the most significant artistic movements of the 20th century, pop art challenged the artistic standards of the 1960s with deadpan depictions of common objects. Includes works from Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and Claes Oldenburg.

``Lewis Baltz: Tract House Photographs, 1969-1971'':

Nov. 16 to Feb. 11

Southern California photographer Lewis Baltz is known for his controlled, detached views of the natural and urban landscape. This exhibition focuses on one of the artist's earliest series, the tract houses.

``Richard Diebenkorn'':

Dec. 14 to April 8

This exhibition features 14 rarely seen gouaches by esteemed California painter Richard Diebenkorn. Dating from 1950, these dynamic abstract compositions are displayed in an intimate gallery setting alongside several oil paintings by the artist.

CAPTION(S):

5 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color) ``Dark Blue and Red'' by Ellsworth Kelly

(2 -- color) ``Blue and Orange and Green'' by Ellsworth Kelly

(3 -- color) ``Orange over Green'' by Ellsworth Kelly

(4 -- color) ``Hiraqia Variation III by Frank Stella

(5 -- color) ``Two sketches of Picture Postcard'' by Paul Klee, part of ``The art of Play: Games and Amusements'' exhibit on display through Dec. 3.

Box: COMING ATTRACTIONS (see text)