In the wake of immeasurable loss, artists and galleries are looking to upcoming fairs and openings as a site for instilling hope, bolstering community, and inviting blossoming possibilities.
Art Fairs this February
Art Fairs are hubs for celebration and sustenance within the art community. As Los Angeles faces immense devastation from the fires, their continuation becomes a vital source of hope.
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Frieze Los Angeles
February 20th - 23rd
The sixth edition of Frieze returns to Santa Monica Airport, featuring a roster of international galleries, an expansive program of ambitious installations, and collaborations with nonprofit organizations.
As a founding contributor to the LA Arts Community Fire Relief Fund, Frieze LA continued only after careful consideration of those affected by the devastating wildfires and specific calls from the art world. A recent statement from the fair expressed, "the challenges the city is currently facing only strengthen our commitment to work alongside the community to rebuild and recover together.”
One of the artists who lost their home and studio in the fires, Kelly Akashi, spoke to the necessity of Frieze's continuation, "I don’t want the economic impact of this to spread further and affect other artists... I want my community to be healthy, and need them to be supported so that they can extend that care to me and other people impacted by the fires.”
After her body of work for an inaugural exhibition with Lisson Gallery was destroyed by the fires, Kelly Akashi immediately went back to work. With the powerful support of her community, including a whole host of glass workers, Akashi rebuilds and entirely recontextualizes her exhibition. Positioning lost-wax cast bronze and borosilicate glass forms personally recovered from the wreckage from her studio — coated in the somber patina left by the fire — amongst other works, Akashi reclaims this loss as a piece of her universe, rich with the possibilities of making, displacing and re-making.
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Felix Art Fair
February 19th - 23rd
Established in 2018, Felix is an art fair created with the intention to foster intimate experiences that prioritize conversation, collaboration, and community. The 2025 edition of the fair will take place at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles, hosting sixty nine international galleries around the pool and in the 11th and 12th floors of the tower.
In their public statement declaring the fair's continuation, the Felix team emphasized LA's resilience as a key cultural and economic catalyst as well as their deep commitment to "maintaining the health and stability of the arts ecosystem." They have also set up a donation-based Felix Wildfire Fund through their ticketing system, giving to the Grief x Hope fundraiser for impacted artists._____________________________________________________________________________________
Los Angeles Art Show
February 19th - 23rd
This year, the LA Art Show celebrates its 35th anniversary with over 120 galleries, museums, and non-profit arts organizations exhibiting an expansive range of mediums. In the words of producer and director Kassandra Voyagis, “As the longest-running art fair in LA, we are very proud of the pioneering role we have played in the city’s emergence as a global epicenter of art and culture.” Indeed, the fair continues to lead the way with innovative programming and one-of-a-kind experiences for an expanding collecting audience.
In a special gesture of appreciation, the LA Art Show will offer free entry to firefighters and their families as a thank you for their unwavering dedication to the city, as well as donating to the rebuilding efforts._____________________________________________________________________________________
There will also be smaller art fairs happening within the same week:
The Other Art Fair
February 20th - 23rd, @The Stage at Casitas
The Other Art Fair combines innovative work by over 140 independent artists with immersive installations, performances, DJs, this year held at 2800 Casitas Ave in Atwater Village. They will donate 100% of proceeds from Friday Late ticket sales to L.A. Arts Community Fire Relief Fund.
The Movement
February 20th - 23rd, @ The Line Hotel
The Movement is bringing together an impactful gathering of Black Arts during Frieze Weekend at Black in Every Color. Art in Every Form. The three-day exhibition at The LINE Hotel in Koreatown is running from February 21–23rd, featuring a convergence of installations and performances that celebrate the multifaceted expressions of Black artistry. This year's exhibition is a benefit, raising funds to amplify and connect the diaspora through the arts.
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