FRIEZE in LOS ANGELES , February 20-23, 2025

Frieze Los Angeles 2025: A Celebration of Creative Resilience and Community Rebuilding

• Leading International Galleries Unite to Support LA’s Art Community
• Frieze Arts Alliance Launches, Bringing Together Major Institutions to Strengthen Los Angeles’ Cultural Ecosystem
• ‘Galleries Together’ Fundraising Initiative Offers International Galleries the Opportunity to Support LA Fire Relief Efforts
• Community-Based Projects Include Collaborations with Lauren Halsey’s Summaeverythang Community Center, the Black Trustee Alliance & AMBOS

Coco Fusco, Only in Darkness, Courtesy Orange Barrel Media, the artist and Mendes Wood DM.

Los Angeles, CA (February 11, 2025) – Frieze Los Angeles will take place from February 20-23, 2025, with a dynamic program that underscores the fair’s ongoing commitment to the city’s artistic and cultural landscape. Against the backdrop of community rebuilding following the recent wildfires, this year’s edition is focused on galvanizing relationships between artists, galleries and cultural institutions. Frieze Los Angeles is supported by global lead partner Deutsche Bank, continuing over two decades of a shared commitment to artistic excellence.

 

Taking place at Santa Monica Airport, Frieze Los Angeles 2025 will bring together over 95 international and local galleries, showcasing ambitious presentations that reflect the city’s diversity and creative strength. The fair will also expand its public programming, offering new initiatives that directly engage with artists and communities affected by recent challenges.

 

“Each year Frieze Los Angeles celebrates the city’s extraordinary artistic scene,” said Christine Messineo, Director of Americas, Frieze. “In these trying times, we reaffirm our commitment to Frieze’s vital role as a platform for creative recovery and renewal. By working alongside artists and institutions, Frieze helps to ensure that Los Angeles continues to thrive as a global center for contemporary art. We have worked to shape this year’s Fair as a platform for groups including Summaeverythang Community Center, The Black Trustee Alliance and AMBOS, and are working with our valued partners to facilitate acquisition funds that will directly benefit local artists.

 

Ambitious Solo and Themed Presentations

Participating galleries will feature a range of ambitious solo and curated stands, with many paying tribute to the city’s spirit and spotlighting LA artists. Highlights include:

• Gagosian will present Chris Burden’s Nomadic Folly (2001), a large-scale installation evoking a dreamlike space, marking its US exhibition debut. Inspired by a cultivated nomad’s tent, the work envelops visitors in rich textiles and architecture, creating a serene atmosphere that reflects on cultural difference, human achievement, and the power of art.
• Tilton Gallery will exhibit Noah Purifoy’s assemblages from his Joshua Tree period, reflecting social change through California’s Black Arts Movement.
• Regen Projects will showcase the depth and range of its program, featuring works by Doug Aitken, Kevin Beasley, Liz Larner, Rebecca Morris, Catherine Opie, Andrea Zittel and additional artists from their roster.
• Ortuzar Projects and Gomide&Co will co-present a solo survey of Megumi Yuasa, marking the Japanese Brazilian artist’s first U.S. presentation and highlighting his decades-long redefinition of Japanese ceramics.
• Richard Saltoun Gallery will present Greta Schödl’s visual poetry, merging abstraction and text in materials like gold leaf and embroidery; active for over seven decades, Schödl continues to redefine the boundaries between text and image.
• Mariane Ibrahim will debut at Frieze Los Angeles with Patrick Eugène’s large-scale figurative works that will explore Haitian heritage and human connection.
• James Cohan will showcase new works by Eamon Ore-Giron, expanding on his Talking Shit series. His works blend Neo-Concretism and Suprematism with indigenous cosmologies, imagining dialogues with deities from Mexico and Peru.
• moniquemeloche will highlight Candida Alvarez’s fusion of abstraction and personal narrative in solo showing of a series of large, intuitive paintings.
• David Kordansky Gallery will present Maia Cruz Palileo’s new works inspired by their family’s migration from the Philippines to the US.
• Proyectos Monclova will feature Víctor Hugo Pérez’s dynamic ceramics, sculptures and drawings exploring intimate relationships with nature and family.
• Broadway will showcase Sky Hopinka’s two-channel video and hand-inscribed photographs exploring Indigenous existence.
• Xavier Hufkens’ booth will feature new paintings by Tracey Emin alongside sculptures by Louise Bourgeois.
• BANK will exhibit hyper-realistic oil paintings by Liang Hao that will explore materiality and human emotion.
• Johyun Gallery will present a dual exhibition featuring Lee Bae and Kishio Suga. Lee Bae will explore Korean abstraction through charcoal’s transformative properties, while Suga will create site-specific installations examining material and space. Their works will challenge the boundaries of painting and sculpture, reflecting on transformation, impermanence, and perception.
• Hauser & Wirth together with Company Gallery will present a solo booth by Ambera Wellmann, whose paintings explore metamorphosis and collectivity through fluid compositions of dissolving figures and imagined landscapes.
• Sebastian Gladstone and Stars will present visionary paintings by Mette Madsen and new works by Emmanuel Louisnord Desir, whose works engage with colonial history, labor, and the body through sculpture and allegorical wall pieces.
• Alexander Gray Associates will present new layered, figurative paintings by Ruby Sky Stiler.
• Hales will present a solo booth by Cherokee artist Kay WalkingStick, showcasing abstractions from the late 1970s to early 1980s that will explore texture, form and spiritual connection.
• Kasmin will present a solo exhibition by Diana Al-Hadid featuring new relief paintings that reflect on ruins, civilization, and migration, ahead of her upcoming institutional surveys.
• Southern Guild makes their debut at Frieze Los Angeles with new work by five women artists, including a special commissioned bronze and earthenware sculpture by Zizipho Poswa, in addition to new paintings by Manyaku Mashilo.
• Galleria Lorcan O’Neill will show a two-person booth with sculptures by Rachel Whiteread and Kiki Smith.
• Mendes Wood DM will present new, intricate aluminum and lightning rod ball sculptures by Nina Canell.
• Marc Selwyn Fine Art will present sculptural works by Akinsanya Kambon whose work will be activated by Senegalese tama (talking drum) master Massamba Diop, known for his work on the Grammy and Oscar-winning Black Panther score, who will perform at the fair on Saturday.
• Francois Ghebaly with a group booth that prominently displays Max Hooper Schneider’s “cyborgian” sculpture Fossil Epizoon (dyrosaurus).
• Commonwealth & Council will be showing recent works by Carolina Caycedo, Danielle Dean, Gala Porras-Kim, Jesse Chun, and Suki Seokyeong Kang.
• And finally, Roberts Projects will highlight Betye Saar’s mixed media works such as Critter Chair: The Seat of the Spirit, which conceptualizes myth and spirituality.

Focus: A Platform for Emerging Talent

 

Frieze Los Angeles 2025 will once again spotlight the next generation of contemporary artists in Focus. Curated for the second year by Essence Harden (Co-Curator, Made in L.A 2025), this section will feature innovative solo presentations from 12 emerging galleries. Participants including Sow & Tailor Gallery, Superposition Gallery, Tyler Park Presents, Dominique Gallery, and Ochi, will showcase thought-provoking works from some of today’s most exciting new voices. Supported by Stone Island, Focus continues to be a vital platform for artists at the forefront of their practice, providing them with the opportunity to engage with a global audience and foster meaningful connections within the art world. By highlighting a diverse range of artistic practices and perspectives, Focus affirms Frieze’s commitment to nurturing talent. For Frieze Los Angeles 2025, Frieze and Stone Island have collaborated with LA-based artist Shaniqwa Jarvis, presented by Sow & Tailor, to create an exclusive staff uniform, designed specifically for the Fair and worn by all personnel.

 

Galleries Together for LA Arts Community Fire Relief Fund

 

Recognising the key role galleries must play in the rebuilding of the city’s cultural ecosystem, Victoria Miro will open their stand at Frieze Los Angeles this year, creating a space for galleries participating in the fair to come together and raise funds for fire relief efforts by donating works to be sold in aid of the LA Arts Community Fire Relief Fund.

 

Acquisitions and Institutional Support

 

Frieze Los Angeles 2025 will also introduce a range of acquisition-focused initiatives to support artists and cultural institutions.

• As part of efforts to support the recovery of Los Angeles’ cultural landscape, Frieze is launching the Frieze Arts Alliance, a new initiative that unites major collecting institutions from across the US in their shared commitment to supporting galleries and strengthening LA’s creative networks. The inaugural group, which will be supporting Frieze Los Angeles with active acquisition budgets, includes the The Baltimore Museum of Art, Berkeley Art Museum & Pacific Film Archive, the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum at Michigan State University, Guggenheim New York, Institute of Contemporary Art Miami, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, Queens Museum, Pérez Art Museum Miami, Seattle Art Museum, Studio Museum in Harlem, and Toledo Museum of Art, among others. By fostering institutional acquisitions at Frieze Los Angeles, the Frieze Arts Alliance highlights the fair’s role in shaping the future of museum collections while championing the work of galleries and artists.
• Santa Monica Art Bank Acquisition: Frieze collaborates with the City of Santa Monica’s Art Bank to acquire artworks by artists based in Southern California. This initiative supports the expansion of the Art Bank collection, which includes diverse voices and experiences from the region.
• This year’s fair will mark the launch of a landmark acquisition fund Frieze Los Angeles in collaboration with Mohn Art Collective: Hammer Museum, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MAC3). This initiative underscores a shared commitment to championing the city’s vibrant artistic community by supporting artists who live and work in Los Angeles. With a dedicated fund of $75,000, the MAC3 institutions will jointly acquire work(s) that reflect the city’s creative energy and dynamism, ensuring they become part of Los Angeles’ cultural legacy. The partnership celebrates the collaboration between three of the city’s leading museums and highlights their ongoing investment in fostering local talent and amplifying their voices on an international stage.

Spotlight on Coco Fusco’s Only in Darkness

 

Frieze is also pleased to present a city-wide project by the interdisciplinary artist Coco Fusco in a special collaboration with Mendes Wood DM, and Orange Barrel Media. Through her work Only in Darkness, Fusco continues her exploration of race, gender, and colonialism, inviting audiences to reflect on these critical themes through the act of skywriting. Fusco’s project will be presented through a series of public billboards and digital screens throughout Los Angeles, offering a collective space for reflection and dialogue. The billboards, showcasing powerful written messages from Fusco, will invite the public to reckon with societal and environmental challenges. Fusco’s work aims to transform the private act of reading into a public experience, encouraging critical thinking about the future of our planet and its inhabitants. The collaboration with OBM extends its mission to support the production and presentation of art in public spaces.

 

Programming and Community Initiatives

 

Frieze Los Angeles 2025 will prioritise community engagement and support, expanding its reach to those most affected by recent challenges. The fair will once again feature the Art Production Fund’s critically acclaimed public program, with site-specific artworks by Lita Albuquerque, Jackie Amézquita, Claire Chambless, Joel Gaitan, Madeline Hollander, Greg Ito, Ozzie Juarez and Dominique Moody, placed throughout the Santa Monica Airport campus. Projects will take place across the athletic fields, and sculptures will be exhibited throughout the park, all free for visitors to attend, no fair ticket needed.

• Summaeverythang Community Center will have a dynamic presence through a number of distinct booths and a panel discussion. The art booth, created in collaboration with Alake Shilling and students from Bret Harte Preparatory Middle School and Rosebud Academy, showcases the creativity of young artists from South Central and Altadena. The Summaeverythang Community Center booth provides insight into the vision for the permanent center, inviting visitors to learn more about its mission and upcoming programs. Rounding out its presence at Frieze, Summaeverythang will host a panel discussion featuring architect Barbara Bestor, who will explore the innovative design behind the future center, illustrating how thoughtful architecture can serve as a catalyst for community transformation.
• The Black Trustee Alliance x Frieze Los Angeles – Land Memories initiative will focus on the legacy of Altadena’s Black community, particularly in the aftermath of the Eaton Fire. This project will feature a panel discussion with Kenturah Davis and Leah Thomas (Green Girl Leah) and an onsite activation within the gallery grid.
• Frieze will also collaborate with AMBOS (Art Made Between Opposite Sides) to present Frutas Coquetas (Sexy Fruit) an installation of ceramic works by artists in a trauma informed ceramics program for refugees and asylum seekers. This initiative underscores Frieze and AMBOS’ commitment to cross-border efforts, with all proceeds benefiting migrant groups along the border.
• Frieze Impact Prize returns for the fourth year. A collaboration between Frieze and WME, in partnership with the Center for Art & Advocacy and its fellowship program, Right of Return, the 2025 Frieze Los Angeles Impact Prize has been awarded to Victor “Marka27” Quiñonez.

Partner Initiatives

 

Deutsche Bank Frieze Los Angeles Film Award

The sixth iteration of the award, widely recognized within the industry as an incubator for next-generation talent, returns in partnership with Ghetto Film School and FIFTH SEASON. Leading arts and entertainment figures will select the winner from fellows Guinevere Alcaraz, Ja’Lisa Arnold, Austin Chen, Christopher Guerrero, Sophia Lafaurie-Munoz, and Nicole Mairose Dizon who each created short films addressing this year’s chosen subject: ‘togetherness.’ The winner of the Film Award will be recognized with a $10,000 prize, while the accompanying Audience Award will see $2,500 for the most popular short film as chosen by the public. To view the films online and vote in the Audience Award, visit frieze.com/DB-Frieze-LA-Film-Award

 

Maison Ruinart continues its Conversations with Nature art series in 2025, inviting Los Angeles-based artist Sam Falls to share his creative vision, an expression of the symbiotic relationship with the flora and fauna that inspire him. In response to the recent Los Angeles-area fires and in honor of their long-standing relationship with the arts community, Maison Ruinart is additionally working with Sam Falls in fundraising support toward the LA Arts Community Fire Relief Fund: an emergency relief fund for artists and arts workers in all disciplines who have been impacted by the devastating Los Angeles fires.

 

Maestro Dobel® Tequila, creator of the world’s first Cristalino, returns as the Official Tequila of Frieze Los Angeles, partnering with local artists and organizations to support the LA community. Inside their lounge, Dobel teams up with LA-based sculptor Roberto Benavidez to showcase a collection of playful piñatas reflecting Dobel’s latest release, “Dobel Atelier Animales Endemicos” — limited-edition hand-painted Extra Añejo tequila bottles, created in homage of traditional techniques and the native wildlife of Mexico. Through its partnership with Art Production Fund, Dobel has commissioned LA-based artist Jackie Amézquita to create a large-scale painting on the football pitches outside the fair, mirroring LA as a melting pot. In response to the devastating LA fires, every Dobel cocktail supports World Central Kitchen.