Ben Maltz Gallery Exhibition Archive

Gallery History

The gallery first opened its doors as the Otis Gallery in 1957 at the MacArthur Park campus in downtown Los Angeles. This took place while California artist and architect Millard Sheets served as Director of Otis Art Institute.  When the College moved to Westchester in 1997, the Gallery was temporarily housed on the ground floor of the Ahmanson Building until the Bronya and Andy Galef Fine Arts Center was completed in 2001. Los Angeles Architect Frederick Fisher designed a stunning 3,200 square foot exhibition space, and it was christened the Ben Maltz Gallery, named in honor of Benjamin N. Maltz, father of Elaine Goldsmith (namesake of the Otis main campus) and a prominent philanthropist. The gallery operated until 2020.

About Ben Maltz

Benjamin "Ben" Maltz (1901–1993) was a broker, banker, and philanthropist. He was the founding Director and former Chairman of City National Bank in Beverly Hills, colloquially referred to as the "bank of the stars." He had a strong belief in giving back to the community, and he was a generous benefactor of many local and national charities. This philosophy was passed on to his children, one of whom is Elaine Goldsmith (née Maltz), a longtime member of the Otis Board of Trustees and one of the College's major supporters.

Exhibition History

Past Gallery Sponsors and Partners