When Frieze, the cornerstone of L.A. Art Week, confirmed at the end of January that the fair would proceed as planned, its organizers added a subtitle: “A Celebration of Creative Resilience and Community Rebuilding.” And celebrate they did, last week at the fair’s sixth edition—with sold-out stands, thousands of guests, and several pioneering public programs. A similar header could be aptly applied to the other fairs that ran simultaneously—Felix Art Fair, Post-Fair, The Other Art Fair, and The L.A. Art Show—and the innumerable benefits and exhibitions that opened across the city.
A palpable sense of festivity and camaraderie could be felt from Santa Monica to the east side as the art world convened en masse for the first time following last month’s devastating wildfires that ravaged more than 40,000 acres of land and more than 10,000 homes across Los Angeles County. Unanimously, the local artists, gallerists, and collectors that Artsy spoke with expressed an infectious mix of pride, enthusiasm, and relief regarding the week’s healthy turnout. Lingering fears of empty booths and a somber atmosphere were quickly assuaged, along with any doubts about the arts community’s capacity for meaningful support and solidarity.
The most popular parties, or at least those with the longest lines, also took place at an array of iconic venues, including the revival of beloved Chinatown dive bar Hop Louie for an evening cohosted by the galleries Bel Ami and Hannah Hoffman and the designer Eckhaus Latta, as well as an intimate cocktail party at the Chateau Marmont with The Art Newspaper and Aston Martin. Just around the corner on Marmont Lane, Albertz Benda’s opening celebration for its latest exhibition, “Saddle Up: Artistic Journeys Through Cowboy Culture,” was another highlight.