While temperatures dip below freezing across much of the US, Los Angeles remains sunny as it generally is year-round, and will see temperatures rise a few notches as Frieze LA makes its triumphant return.
Now housed in its new location on the southeast corner of the Santa Monica Airport, Frieze will feature more than 120 galleries from 22 countries, including seasoned heavyweights and exciting newcomers, as well as an expanded Concentrate Unity. As part of the annual Frieze works part, this year will include a monumental sculpture by Chris Burden and an immersive musical performance on the Santa Monica Pier. Additionally, there will be two site-specific programs to take full advantage of the expanded areas — the first, It’s playing now, is in partnership with the Art Production Fund, featuring artists who shine a light on the often overlooked aspects of everyday life in Los Angeles — from food stands, car culture, the sports fan and more. Participating artists include Autumn Breon, Chris Burden, Jose Dávila, Basil Kincaid, Divya Mehra, Ruben Ochoa, Alake Shilling and Jennifer West.
Edited by Jay Ezra Nayssan and Del Vaz Projects, Against the edge takes place at a number of culturally significant sites on the Westside of Los Angeles — each installation serves as a dialogue between the artist and the surrounding area on display. The program will feature French artist Nicola L. at Thomas Mann House in Pacific Palisades, Kelly Akashi at Villa Aurora, and Tony Cokes at Beyond Baroque, among others.
Frieze LA 2023 will run February 16-19 at the Santa Monica Airport. Please visit the exhibition website for programming and tickets. For those attending, take a look at the five must-see exhibitions and let us know your thoughts below.
Pace, Booth D8
Courtesy of the artist and Pace
Pace is among the group of blue-chip galleries that have nestled permanently in the City of Angels since Frieze’s first LA show in 2019. This year’s booth will showcase a range of legendary figures, both from the 20th century and working artists today. Highlights include Agnes Martin’s meditation Untitled #4 (1996), a hyper-surreal depiction of an iceberg by Robert Longo, two artworks by Yoshitomo Nara, an upright mobile from 1960 by Alexander Calder, along with new works by Mary Corse, Adrian Ghenie, Matthew Day Jackson and more .
Coinciding with Pace’s presentation at Frieze is a new Calder exhibition at its LA outpost specially selected and installed by the legendary contemporary artist, Richard Tuttle. The latest exhibition will be open until February 25, and viewers can find Pace at booth D8.
Xavier Hufkens, Booth A11
Courtesy of the artist and Xavier Hufkens
Fresh off a solo exhibition by Sir Antony Gormley and an ongoing exhibition by Nicolas Party, Belgian art dealer Xavier Hufkens presents a range of paintings, sculptures and installations from his remarkable series. Joe Bradley, who recently had his own solo exhibition with the gallery in Belgium, will present a large painting, Chain gang (2020-2022), while Walter Swennen, Tracey Emin and McArthur Binion will also have abstract works.
Sculpture will also be a point of emphasis for the gallery, as totemic works by Huma Bhabha, Lynda Benglis and Thomas Houseago make an appearance. Additional highlights include photographs by Robert Mapplethorpe, a paper-based study by Louise Bourgeois, and a rhythmic four-panel painting by Sherrie Levine.
Sow & Tailor, Focus, Booth F15
Courtesy of The Artist And Sow & Tailor
Sow & Tailor is a DTLA-based pop-up gallery that began with community building and diversity at the core of its programming. Founded by Karen Galloway in 2021, the Black-owned space is celebrating its first Frieze booth, which will host a solo show titled Where I go to Sin and Cry by Veronica Fernandez. Born in New Jersey and now based in Los Angeles, Fernandez addresses personal trauma and memory in her gestural paintings and installations that often straddle reality and fantasy, dreams and nightmares.
While the works and underlying stories may seem bleak, almost as if these various figures and symbols are floating in a state of purgatory, Fernandez maintains the notion that hope can always emerge from oppressive worlds. Arrest Where I go to Sin and Cry at stand F15 in the Focus section. For those downtown, be sure to check out a new solo exhibit at Sow & Tailor by Kayla Witt.
Chase Hall at David Kordansky Gallery, Focus, Booth B1
Courtesy of The Artist and David Kordansky Gallery
LA gallery partner David Kordansky will also present a solo exhibition of work by Chase Hall. With vibrant gesture, the Minnesota-born artist paints subjects and scenes that comment on generational traumas and celebrations throughout American history. In the past, this approach has translated into special pigments that the artist exploited through coffee beans, referencing age-old geopolitical systems linked to the commercialization of the coffee plant across Africa.
Having recently presented his first solo museum exhibition at the SCAD Museum of Art in Savannah, Georgia, Hall continues with his latest paintings at David Kordansky, located in booth B1.
Hauser & Wirth, Focus, Booth D1
Courtesy of The Artist And Sow & Tailor
The Hauser & Wirth pavilion has been described by the gallery as its ongoing “commitment and love affair” with the City of Angels that dates back 30 years. To complement its flagship space in a renovated flour mill in the Arts District, Hauser & Wirth will welcome a second Los Angeles location in West Hollywood, housed in a former car showroom and opening this Wednesday with a solo exhibition by George Condo.
As for the gallery’s Frieze presentation, expect to see monumental works by Light and Space master Larry Bell, an eclectic sofa installation by Jason Rhoades, figurative paintings by Henry Taylor, a floral video by Diana Thater, and studies on paper by Mike Kelley and Paul McCarthy, among others. Visit the gallery’s website for a full list of artwork and programming.
Frieze Los Angeles
3026 Airport Ave
Santa Monica, CA 90405