Around the 1960s and 70s, inspired by the sun and the smog, California artists began to investigate perceptual phenomena. We’re talking James Turrell, Doug Wheeler, Helen Pashgian, Robert Irwin, and Bruce Nauman. Around the same time, other artists were involved in “finish fetish,” a style in which a slick and glossy finish is applied on a two- or three-dimensional abstract design. For an exhibition that examines this singular period, LACMA presents works from its own collection. —Elena Clavarino