Born in 1945 in Illinois, Jim Ganzer is now widely known as a Malibu surf legend and an underground LA icon. He and his group of surf friends inspired the 1978 film, Big Wednesday, written and directed by John Milius. When the Coen brothers were developing The Big Lebowski, Milius introduced them to Ganzer, who influenced Jeff Bridges’s famous character, The Dude. A graduate of Chouinard Art Institute, Jim Ganzer emerged as an artist when the surf and skate culture-inspired world was not yet a billion-dollar industry, but an afterthought in a mostly hardware-focused segment. He became the voice of the subculture in the ’80s for inventing cult garments under the brand, Jimmy’Z, combining form with function. Ganzer collaborated with Ed Ruscha on several works, such as “Brave Men Run in My Family” and “Sea of Desire” and also starred in Ruscha’s film, Miracle. He has shown his art in many esteemed group and solo exhibits in California and all over the world since 1971. “Life Lived” is a collection of Jim Ganzer’s black & white photography from the 1960s—1980s, his ink drawings, and furniture. It will be on view at Indoek gallery in Ventura, California from March 30th through May 12th, 2024. This exhibit is generously supported by our friends at Outerknown.

For more information on all the art featured in this exhibit, please download the price sheet here:

PRICE SHEET

Limited edition books, organic cotton tees and silkscreened posters are also available to commemorate the show.