ART NOTEBOOK Gallery Tips Its Beret to Works of the French

Los Angeles is a smorgasbord of cultures, so it only seems fitting that the city should serve up a little bit of everything in terms of art. Those who have had their fill of American art—for whatever reason—always have plenty of alternatives to pick from. Why not, for instance, sample some nouveau French fare for a change ?

That is what Gallery B and B is offering. Tucked away in a residential block of Venice north of Lincoln Boulevard, the new gallery is the latest venture of Jean-Louis and Anne Breux, who are branching out from their art restoration and interior design businesses, respectively.

Gallery B and B is seeking to introduce Los Angeles to reasonably priced, predominantly figurative work by a group of emerging and mid-career French painters. Among the artists represented are Gilbert Cosset, Andre Raffin and Jacques Barry (whose work is on view)—names that hardly ring a bell in art circles here.

But then the Breux never planned to direct their gallery at those who choose their art according to fashion or big-name recognition. According to Jean-Louis Breux, a longtime collector of emerging art from his native France, even the gallery’s obscure location has certain benefits. "All the people who come here are interested in the art," he said. "It’s not like Main Street, where people come in because they are shopping.