Just your average night, above, with friends, cocktails, and giant ceramic polychrome infants.

Maria Jenson, Gallery Director at Salon Oblique in Venice, California, loved art, but quickly grew tired of the white wall, look-don't-touch formality of gallery life. Simply put, she wanted to kick back, relax, and talk aesthetics over cocktails. From her malaise came Oblique, a belle ����poque-inspired salon, "with a juxtaposition of styles and media that fuels discourse and encourages guests to participate."

Located near trendy Abbot Kinney, the 2,800 square foot indoor-outdoor multi-level exhibition space offers up something a little different for collectors, artists, and art aficionados.

A recent salon featured video art from controversial Berlin artist-filmmaker Hito Steyerl, photo-montage "realities" from Jeremy Kidd, giant ceramic polychrome infants by local Matt Wedel, paintings from hedge-fund darling Michael Brunswick, and a few smoked canvasses from Maria��������s husband, Kevan Jenson. The prices range from the sublime to the ridiculously ridiculous and there��������s always free eats, beverage (lots of beverage), and ambient music to entertain the well-dressed guests.

Salon Oblique��������s next exhibition, "Underworld," opens late September. For an invitation and more information, check out www.salonoblique.com��������mention BlackBook to get on the list! ��������N.H.

More salon photos by Joshua Targownik after the jump.

Belle ����poque, indeed!

Video DJ Eric Medine: In the words of contemporary wordsmith Beyonce, "The writing's on the wall."