West Coast: 1945–1969 is a rare first edition exhibition catalog published by the Pasadena Art Museum for its landmark 1969 survey of postwar West Coast art. Designed as a loose-leaf portfolio, the catalog features 31 double-sided plates printed on heavyweight paper and housed in a folded photographic wrap. The unbound structure reflects the experimental nature of the works included and invites deeper engagement with each artist’s contribution.

Curated by art historian and critic John Coplans, the exhibition brought together a significant range of California-based artists who helped define West Coast modernism and postminimalist expression between 1945 and 1969. Featured artists include Ed Ruscha, Bruce Nauman, Larry Bell, Wallace Berman, Bruce Conner, Edward Kienholz, Edward Moses, Richard Diebenkorn, Craig Kauffman, Ron Davis, and John Altoon.

Each plate includes a black-and-white image of a selected work on one side, with biographical notes, a bibliography, and selected exhibitions on the reverse. This innovative format merges scholarly reference with visual archive, making the catalog both an art object and a primary source for collectors and curators.

Published by the Pasadena Art Museum (now the Norton Simon Museum), this catalog is a key artifact in the history of mid-century California art and a rare collectible for anyone interested in West Coast conceptualism, assemblage, and postwar art movements.