Marc Kreisel: King of Al's Bar

Marc Kreisel, a mixed-media conceptual artist, was also the owner of Al's Bar, which for 21 years played host to some of the legends of punk rock.

Located near the corner of Traction and Hewitt, in the heart of what is now called the Arts District, Al's Bar was a venue not just for music, but also for theater and performance art.

Kreisel's own artwork was thought-provoking, yet laced with humor. "The Ten Commandments" is a pair of tablets with instructions such as, "Teach the women to shoot" and "Consider art a guest in Los Angeles."

As Kreisel explains in "Young Turks," "Los Angeles isn't set up for making art. Its history is Hollywood, the beach, and art has had a tough time here. You can't compete."

Kreisel closed Al's Bar in 2001 and lives in Echo Park with his wife, Rachel.