Los Angeles, 2 March 2026: By the time the last shuttle pulled away from Santa Monica Airport on Sunday evening, most dealers stopped pretending to be skittish. The seventh edition of Frieze Los Angeles closed with what galleries are calling a strong result, though the mood was less about posturing and more about relief. After a year of jittery headlines and whispered caution, collectors showed up prepared to act. Early, too. Several dealers told Artlyst the tone was set within the first hour of the VIP preview. “We knew by eleven,” one said, glancing at a wall that had already been dismantled in spirit if not in fact. “They came with lists.”
Back at the Santa Monica Airport, the fair has settled into itself. The hangars and temporary structures now feel oddly familiar, but nothing like the glamour of the fairs held on the back lots of Paramount. Sunlight cut across the aisles in that particular Californian way, flattering even the most severe conceptual presentation. This year, there were more tightly focused stands and fewer salon-style hangs. Several galleries opted for solo or sharply edited presentations, the kind that require confidence and a collector willing to commit.
Attendance hovered just above 32,000 visitors over four days, with representation from more than 45 countries. Museum groups were conspicuous. I spotted curators from New York, Chicago, London, and Seoul. By the organisers’ count, around 160 institutions had people on the ground. They were not browsing. They were measuring walls.
Sales began quickly. Several blue-chip galleries confirmed seven-figure transactions before the first afternoon had cooled. A large-scale painting by anby an international heavyweight sold for just over $3 million within the first hours. Another reported placing a major sculptural work in the $2 million range with a West Coast collection that has been quietly building muscle over the past decade. “Serious conversations, serious collectors,” a director told me. “No tyre kickers.”
The mid-market was where the business was most buoyant. Works priced between $75,000 and $500,000 moved steadily, sometimes surprisingly so. A London gallery showing a spare, concept-driven solo presentation said it had sold out by Friday morning, with prices ranging from $120,000 to $350,000. “We were cautious about bringing something this restrained to Los Angeles,” the dealer admitted. “But the appetite is here. People are thinking long term again.”
Focus, curated this year by Essence Harden, had a sense of purpose. Younger galleries reported strong placements, several selling out entirely. Prices were more accessible, though not exactly modest, ranging from $15,000 up to $80,000 in some cases. One first-time participant from Mexico City placed a full body of work with a museum trustee group by Saturday afternoon. “It changes the trajectory for the artist,” the gallerist said, still looking faintly stunned.
There was also noticeable cross-pollination between the entertainment and tech worlds. Producers, actors, founders. Some were advised, some clearly not. A New York dealer shrugged when I asked about the influx. “It is Los Angeles. They collect differently. They are visual thinkers. When they fall for something, they move fast.”
Christine Messineo, Director of Americas for Frieze, described the edition as a new level of confidence. She is not wrong. The fair felt less anxious than last year, more assured of its place in the calendar. Deutsche Bank, Frieze’s long-time global lead partner, maintained its visible presence, hosting collectors and clients in what has become a ritualised choreography of private views and dinners. Claudio de Sanctis spoke of thoughtful dialogue and lasting connections. The language is corporate, but the rooms were full.
Not everything flew. A handful of booths looked stubbornly intact by Sunday afternoon. One European gallery confided that conversations had been strong but decisions slower than hoped. “People are buying,” the director said, “but they are selective. It is not 2021.” That may be the most accurate summary of the week.
Still, the prevailing impression was of a market recalibrating. Collectors appeared willing to stretch for work that felt singular, less so for the decorative or derivative. Institutions were present, and present with intent. The early acquisitions gave the fair its backbone. By the end, there was a sense that Los Angeles is no longer the satellite fair in the Frieze constellation. It has its own gravitational field.
Gagosian saw significant sales, placing Ed Ruscha’s Heaven and Hot Sparks, Frank Gehry’s Fish on Fire, Alex Israel’s Paramount Pictures, and new works by Jonas Wood and Mary Weatherford. Hauser & Wirth sold out their presentation of new paintings by Conny Maier, entitled Dust Bowl, on the opening day, with the large paintings selling for $125,000 and one smaller work for $25,000.
David Zwirner reported strong sales including a mixed-media work by Njideka Akunyili Crosby for $2.8 million to a European foundation, a painting by Lynette Yiadom-Boakye for $1.5 million, and a new work on paper by Lisa Yuskavage for $280,000, and Thaddeus Ropac sold multiple works including a painting by George Baselitz for €1,000,000, an Alex Katz painting for $700,000, a painting by David Salle for $280,000, and a work by Liza Lou for $225,000. Pace sold James Turrell’s 2021 installation Carat and Schtik for $950,000, a 1983 painting by Jean Dubuffet for $475,000, and a painting by Emily Kam Kngwarray for $450,000. Michael Rosenfeld Gallery found success, placing works from across their booth, including Sam Gilliam’s Cut (1969), listed at an asking price of over $1,000,000, and Marti Always (2007) by the artist, listed for $180,000, Bob Thompson’s The Bargaining (1961), listed between $500,000-$1,000,000, and William H. Johnson’s Jitterbugs (III) (1941) is listed for $250,000, and Toshiko Takaezu’s Untitled (Closed Form) (1975). Further sold-out presentations included Broadway’s solo booth of polyester thread on paper works by Jessie Henson, priced in the range of $22,000-$45,000 each, and CARVALHO’s presentation of Élise Peroi, priced from $9,500-$48,000, totalling $275,000. Olney Gleason sold all of their paintings by Kour Pour, priced between $22,000 and $65,000, alongside a sculpture by Bosco Sodi for $72,000. In Focus, Anthony Gallery’s presentation of Andrew J. Park sold out with works in the range of $5,500-$17,000 each, and Hannah Traore Gallery’s presentation of Turiya Adkins sold out with prices ranging from $5,000-$11,000. Lyles & King placed all new paintings by Ren Light Pan, and all sculptures by Zenobia Lee, presented by Sea View, sold out for $7,000-$20,000 each.
White Cube placed three major sculptures from its solo presentation of Antony Gormley in the range of £500,000-£800,000 each, while Almine Rech reported the sale of multiple pieces including a painting by Ewa Juszkiewicz for $800,000-$850,000, a sculpture by Aaron Curry in the range of $210,000-$245,000 and a painting by Joe Andoe for $110,000-$120,000. Garth Greenan Gallery reported robust sales, including a painting by Howardena Pindell for $875,000 and one by Emmi Whitehorse for $150,000. Gladstone sold a sculpture by Keith Haring for $700,000, a large-scale painting by Ugo Rondinone for $260,000, and multiple Robert Mapplethorpe editions in the $200,000 range. Karma sold a work by Jonas Wood for $650,000 alongside works by Nicolas Party for $150,000, Ann Craven for $140,000, Jane Dickson for $100,000, Maja Ruznic for $90,000, Keith Mayerson for $80,000, Aspen Poster for $60,000, Jeremy Frey for $50,000, Nathaniel Oliver for $50,000, Norman Zammitt for $50,000, and Mathew Cerletty for $45,000.
Sprüth Magers sold two paintings by David Salle for $375,000 and $130,000 and a UV print by Arthur Jafa for $150,000 to private US and UK collections, and Kukje Gallery saw a strong response, selling a Ha Chong- Hyun work in the range of $253,000-$303,600, two paintings by Park Seo-Bo in the range of $250,000- $300,000 each, and two works by Haegue Yang in the range of $80,000-$108,000. Lisson Gallery sold pieces, including a painting by Carmen Herrera for $380,000, a sculpture by Hugh Hayden for $300,000 photograph by Hiroshi Sugimoto for $250,000, and a painting by Leon Polk Smith for $200,000. François Ghebaly placed many works, including two Kathleen Ryan sculptures, for $175,000 and $100,000.
Galerie Frank Elbaz placed several works from its booth, including a sculptural textile by Sheila Hicks for $350,000 and two paintings by Kenjiro Okazaki, priced between $80,000 and $85,000 each. Johyun Gallery sold multiple works, including a painting by Kim Tschang-Yeul for $170,000, a painting by Kim Chong Hak for $44,000, and a painting by Lee Kwang-Ho for $40,000. Southern Guild placed numerous works, including a Zizi Poswa bronze sculpture for $130,000, a bronze sculpture by Zanele Muholi for $110,000, a Romeo Mivekannin painting for $57,000, and a Gus Monday painting for $24,000. 303 Gallery reported the sale of numerous sculptures by Alicja Kwade, including works priced between €74,000 and €95,000 each, as well as additional works priced between €9,000 and €18,000 each. Perrotin sold four photographs and one video work by Paul Pfeiffer, as well as a work by Gabriel de la Mora, all in the range of $30,000-$60,000, a painting by Young-Il Ahn in the range of $70,000-$80,000 and a painting by Bharti Kher in the range of $180,000-$195,000.
Lomex reported significant sales, including two works by Yoshitaka Amano in the $60,000-$70,000 range, five paintings by Kye Christensen-Knowles in the $30,000-$60,000 range, numerous sculptures by the artist, and two works by Kathryn Kerr in the $30,000-$40,000 range. Jessica Silverman made several sales, including a wall relief by Pae White for $80,000, a 2026 painting by Hayal Pozanti for $75,000 and a porcelain butterfly-wing sculpture by Rebecca Manson for $65,000. For their debut at Frieze Los Angeles, Jane Lombard Gallery sold nine works by artists Margarita Cabrera, Adam de Boer, Dan Perjovschi, Massinissa Selmani, and Jeff Wallace, for a combined total of $75,000- $80,000. Timothy Taylor sold the majority of their presentation, including a painting by Hilary Pecis for $50,000 and a painting by Daniel Crews-Chubb for £50,000. Fort Gansevoort sold several fabric works by Yvonne Wells for between $50,000 and $60,000 each, and Bank sold a painting by Michael Lin in the range of $70,000 to $100,000, a work by Bony Ramirez for $20,000 to $30,000, and a painting by Liang Hao for around $20,000.
In addition to sold-out presentations in Focus, Make Room sold all wall works from their solo presentation of Erica Mahinay, with paintings selling in the range of $5,500-$35,000 and sculptures selling between $14,000- $20,000. Dreamsong placed nine works from their solo presentation of Tamar Ettun in the $2,600-$20,000 range each. PATRON sold five works by Jamal Cyrus, ranging between $20,000-$40,000, and Superposition placed multiple works from their solo presentation of Greg Ito, including sculptures sold between $12,500-$13,500 each, and three paintings for $8,000 each.
Gallery Responses
Galleries throughout the fair shared insights around Los Angeles’s arts community, alongside enthusiasm from top collectors, museum groups and curators throughout the fair’s run.
Marc Payot, President, Hauser & Wirth: ‘It’s a pleasure to be back at the fair and with it to introduce the work of Conny Maier to Los Angeles. The welcome has been incredibly warm: all the works in her solo presentation on our stand were placed.’
Alex Logsdail, CEO, Lisson Gallery: ‘This was a strong fair across the board. Sales were robust, the booth saw consistent activity throughout the weekend, and the quality of collectors coming through was great. The conversations were serious and led to acquisitions throughout the program. The mood was notably high, both at the fair and among visitors to the local galleries. That kind of broad, sustained engagement is a meaningful indicator, and it made for an encouraging and productive week.’
Deborah McLeod, Senior Director, Gagosian: ‘We’re proud to be showing 50 years of California painting and sculpture at Frieze LA this year. The response to our booth has been incredibly enthusiastic, and the crowded aisles are a testament to the resilience of the city and the strength of its cultural community.’
Max Falkenstein, Senior Partner, Gladstone Gallery: ‘We are thrilled by the enthusiastic reception our presentation has seen this week. We achieved significant sales of both historical and contemporary works by our artists, including Keith Haring, Carrie Mae Weems, Robert Mapplethorpe, Ugo Rondinone, Peter Saul, Rachel Rose, Alex Katz, Frances Stark, Karen Kilimnik, Andrew Lord, and David Salle, placing them in the ranks of institutional and premier private collections. The sustained energy and high turnout from familiar and new collectors alike underscore the strength of the market and continued enthusiasm for top-tier works.’
Ethan Buchsbaum, Partner, Almine Rech: ‘We are thrilled with the strength of sales at this year’s Frieze Los Angeles, which reflects both the continued vitality of the market and the deep engagement of collectors in the region. Our presentation this year attracted significant interest from local collectors, whose thoughtful acquisitions underscored California’s position as one of the most dynamic and influential collecting communities internationally.’
Tanya Bonakdar, Founder & Owner: ‘We have been very happy with the fair this year. The LA community, and those from the greater region, provided a resounding chorus of support and enthusiasm for contemporary art this week.’
Garth Greenan, Principal, Garth Greenan Gallery: ‘Los Angeles, one of the great cultural capitals of the United States, has always been central to our program and to my work as a dealer. Frieze LA delivered on every level, offering meaningful opportunities to engage with thoughtful, deeply committed collectors and curators. There was a clear appetite for quality, and this week underscored LA’s enduring importance as an artistic and cultural arena.’
Susanne Vielmetter, Owner & Director, Vielmetter: ‘This year’s iteration of the fair was brimming with optimism, interest and activity. Sales were stronger than anything we have seen in the last year, and it truly felt like we were turning a corner. People are so excited to see and buy art again, we are thrilled to be here and participate in this new surge of energy and enthusiasm!’
Nicholas Olney & Eric Gleason, Co-Founders, Olney Gleason: ‘Frieze Los Angeles continues to meet our highest expectations. The fair has proven an exceptional platform for curated, thematic presentations, and we’ve been thrilled by the response to our pairing of Kour Pour and Bosco Sodi. All five of Kour’s new erasure paintings sold, alongside a large-scale sculpture by Sodi. This was a fantastic debut for Kour with the gallery, and we very much look forward to continuing our work together in New York, where he will present a solo exhibition in 2027.’
Alexandra Lovera, Sales Director, Proyectos Monclova: ‘Frieze Los Angeles has been a tremendous success for us this year, with strong engagement from collectors and institutions throughout the week. Saturday was surprisingly one of the best days of the fair, boosting our booth’s momentum. Overall, the fair reaffirmed the strength of our program and the enthusiasm of the market for thoughtful, material-driven practices.’
Adam Shopkorn, Founder & Owner, Fort Gansevoort: ‘We’ve been thrilled by the reception to Yvonne Wells’ first presentation in Los Angeles and excited to see new audiences connect with her quilts. LA is known worldwide as a place of cultural production. There’s a beautiful parallel between Yvonne’s craftsmanship and the behind-the-scenes artistry that makes film, television, and music magic happen in this city. We’ve seen strong engagement from both new and longtime collectors, as well as continued institutional interest. We were also grateful for the opportunity to rotate works and highlight other key themes in her practice, including her tributes to civil rights leaders. LA and the entire Frieze team have been wonderful to us, and we look forward to strengthening all these connections.’
Sebastian Gladstone, Owner: ‘The renewed energy we’ve experienced at Frieze L.A. goes to show that this city is a major destination for art. Nevine Mahmoud and Emma Soucek’s works were a big hit. We sold several additional works across our entire gallery program and can count at least 10 new client relationships made during the fair. We can’t wait to come back next year.’
Hannah Traore, Founder & Director, Hannah Traore Gallery: ‘The fair was especially positive this year! There was a beautiful energy, and collectors were eager to learn and to buy. I am proud to say that we sold out our booth by the end of the first day, and most importantly, placed the works thoughtfully. I am so excited by the quality of collectors and curators we were able to come in contact with because of the fair.’
Charlie James, Owner & Director, Charlie James Gallery: ‘Frieze L.A. has been a joy for us. We’re so proud to have Patrick Martinez’s neon installation at the fair’s entrance, which has been the Focus of major stories in local and international media. Sales were very good for all the artists that we brought to the fair, and a particular highlight was a promised gift of Manuel Lopez’s work to LACMA.’
Marc Selwyn, Owner, Marc Selwyn Fine Art: ‘We’ve consistently seen strong results at Frieze Los Angeles, and this year was no exception. The fair was defined by sustained enthusiasm and the presence of serious collectors across all four days. We placed fifteen works spanning historically significant figures and compelling emerging voices — from Louise Nevelson and Frank Bowling to rising talents such as Cynthia Talmadge and Michelle Uckotter. It was a dynamic, high-energy weekend for the gallery and a meaningful boost for the broader community, reaffirming the strength of the market in Los Angeles, after the fires and the consolidation in the entertainment business.’
Storm Ascher, Founder, Superposition Gallery: ‘Working with Greg Ito has been one of the most rewarding collaborations since I founded Superposition in 2018. As an Angeleno, it was deeply meaningful to present work rooted in family history here at home. Greg created a presentation that not only advanced his own practice and honoured his family’s legacy but also embodied the gallery’s mission. The response was overwhelming and moving. I’m so grateful to Frieze for championing our nomadic gallery model and creating space for this story on such an important stage in our hometown.’
Richard Saltoun, Founder & Owner: ‘Frieze LA has been great for us! We have met some wonderful new collectors and institutions and had some engaging conversations. The local community has been out in full force, and it’s been great to see how supportive they have been – the aisles have been packed every day! We will definitely be back.’
François Ghebaly, Owner: ‘Frieze Los Angeles has been an exhilarating week throughout our sprawling city. The vibe was great everywhere I went, and the energy on the floor was electric on opening day. The perfect LA sunshine felt like a welcome ray of light in this tumultuous moment. We saw a wonderful mix of major collectors and cultural figures who can’t get enough of Kathleen Ryan’s sculptures, and works by Guim Tio, Christine Sun Kim, Maia Ruth Lee, Max Hooper Schneider, Brooklin Soumahoro, and Ali Eya all sold on our first day. A year after the disastrous historical fires, this is a welcome reminder of how engaged and lively our community is.’ Alexandra Sterling, Director, Sales, White Cube: ‘Frieze brought exceptional energy and optimism, with strong sales and sustained interest throughout the fair. We were pleased to place several significant works with both new and longstanding clients. It was a privilege to showcase Antony Gormley’s focused presentation in dialogue with Los Angeles’s dynamic arts and collector community. The presentation sparked thoughtful conversations with leading curators, museum directors, and collectors from across Los Angeles, greater California, and beyond.’
Isimene “Easy” Otabor, Owner, Anthony Gallery: ‘From opening to close, the energy was electric. Los Angeles continues to be one of my favourite artist communities, deeply supportive and consistently present for one another. Our solo presentation of Andrew J. Park’s Almost Real was enthusiastically received across generations and diverse audiences.’
Isaac Lyles, Founder, Lyles & King: ‘This has been the best year we’ve had at Frieze LA. The energy, the calibre of collectors and curators, and the depth of engagement have all been exceptional. We brought vital, sensuous, and challenging work by Ren Light Pan — and the community embraced it. Closing the week by placing her painting with a major museum, alongside a sold-out presentation, is the perfect culmination.’
Emilia Yin, Owner & Director, Make Room: ‘We are thrilled by the overwhelming response to Erica Mahinay’s presentation in Focus LA. All wall works sold out within the first few hours of our VIP opening, with placements among major Los Angeles collectors, prominent figures in the entertainment industry, and, notably, the selection of a work by the Santa Monica Art Bank for the city’s permanent collection. Sales of Erica’s sculptural works continued steadily throughout the fair, reinforcing the depth of interest in her practice across mediums. For Make Room, this moment exemplifies what we set out to do: champion extraordinary female artists and contribute meaningfully to the Los Angeles cultural ecosystem. Frieze continues to be a vital platform for that mission, and we’re grateful to see Erica’s work meet the audience and institutional recognition it deserves.’
Stuart Morrison, Managing Director, Hales: ‘The response to our solo booth of paintings by Jordan Ann Craig was outstanding. We presented her West Coast solo debut at the fair, and it was a huge success with strong engagement from both private and institutional collections. All works were sold.’ Rebecca Heidenberg, Partner, Dreamsong: ‘Frieze LA has been a great success for Dreamsong with a lot of attention garnered for our interdisciplinary presentation of Tamar Ettun’s work. We are thrilled to have placed nine works in both museum collections and prominent private collections in LA and across the US, as well as in the UK. Additionally, we launched our mutual aid colouring book at the fair to raise money for the Immigrant Rapid Response Fund in Minneapolis.’
Jaewoo Choi, President, Johyun Gallery: ‘This year’s Frieze LA was more than an opportunity to present our works; it was a meaningful occasion to engage directly with local collectors. Seeing their genuine interest in our artists’ narratives reinforced my belief that contemporary art today transcends cultural boundaries and connects us through a shared language. I leave the fair with a deep sense of inspiration shaped by both the energy of the event and the conversations it inspired.’
Hormoz Hematian, Founder, Dastan Gallery: ‘While as Iranians we’re going through so much, we found it to be an incredible experience to hold space while presenting the works of a variety of Iranian artists, both based in Los Angeles, Iran, and elsewhere. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone who came out and expressed their solidarity. We felt incredibly supported. As it has been the case many times before, Frieze enabled us to meet great people and place works in excellent collections. Among the many meaningful works we are presenting, one by Farideh Lashahi was very particularly resonant. It depicted, in her poetic abstraction, a lion’s silhouette against a dark background. When one looked around the painting, one could also discern the colours of the Iranian flag: green, white, and, as it has been our destiny for centuries, red. As Frieze.com mentioned in a recent article titled ‘Iran in California,’ the strong presence was fully felt through seeing so many art lovers, artists, thinkers, and activists in the field of culture. I am grateful for the experience and, at the same time, wish for the same solidarity, openness, and presence for other cultures present in Southern California.’
Additional gallery responses for Frieze Los Angeles 2026 can be found at this link.
Attendees
Prominent art collectors at Frieze Los Angeles included Josh Abramson, Alka Agrawal, Richard Akagawa, Holly & Albert Baril, Dr. Ericka Bath, Maria Bell, Allison & Larry Berg, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, Lyndon Barrois, Edythe Broad, Suzanne Deal Booth, Janet Crown, Theo Danjuma, Beth Rudin DeWoody, Jennifer Hawks Djawadi, Clifford J. Einstein, Ariel Emanuel & Sarah Staudinger, Michael Fares, David Frej & Nancy Lerner, Bill Gautreaux, Olympia Gayot, Bob Gersh, Jessica Gersh, Lisa Goodman, Sue Hancock, Karen Hillenberg, Sydney Holland, Maja Hoffmann, Terri Holoman, Jihee Huh, Amanda Huh, Pamela Joyner, Lily & Bruce Karatz, Dee Kerrison, Khalil Kinsey, Colin King, Irene Kim, Jacob Kotzubei, Jill & Peter Kraus, Mihail Lari, Agnes Lew, Nancy Lerer, Joel Lubin, Olivia Marciano, John Morace, Jarl Mohn, Susan Bay Nimoy, Corinne Opman, Michael Ovitz, Alyson Palevsky, Carolyn Clark Powers, Dallas Price-Van Breda & Bob Van Breda, Lynda Resnick, Rebecca & Allen Ross, Barbara Ruben, Jason & Michelle Rubell, Pete Scantland, Sam Schwartz, Ayesha Selden, Alan Hergott & Curt Shepard, Hassan Smith, Steven Song, V. Joy Simmons, Eddie Slatkin, Lauren Taschen, Ann Tenenbaum, Jamie Tisch, Richard Tsai, Janice Wang, Wys Wong, Christopher Yin, Kylie Ying, Sarah Meyer Michaelson, and Qiao Zhibing.
The fair also saw notable attendees from entertainment, technology, and fashion industries including Andre 3000, François Arnaud, Lake Bell, Julie Bowen, Connie Britton, Camille Brown, Christine Chiu, Danny Comden, Tim Cook, Katie Couric, Marina de Tavira, Lisa Edelstein, Erik Feig, Jodie Foster, Erin Foster, David Alan Grier, Brian Grazer, Jon Gries, Jeremy O. Harris, Alexandra Hedison, John Hillcoat, Mark Hoppus, Victoria Jackson, Anthony Kiedis, John Legend & Chrissy Teigen, Damon Lindelof, Rami Malek, Maria Manow, Christopher Meloni, Joe Montana, Neal Moritz, Ryan Murphy, Jordan Murphy, B.J. Novak, Chiké Okonkwo, Timothy Olyphant, Piper Perabo, Chris Perfetti, Todd Phillips, Chris Rock, Jane Seymour, Fiona Shaw, Abigail Spencer, Christoph Waltz, Dorothy Wang, Diane Warren, Emma Watson, Kelly Wearstler, Steve Wilson, and Jason Wu.
Artists attended included: Doug Aitken, Lita Albuquerque, Adam Alessi, Dan John Anderson, Edgar Arceneaux, Larry Bell, Polly Borland, Andrea Bowers, Cosmas & Damian Brown, Mimi O Chun, Liz Craft, Sam Falls, Sharif Farrag, Delfin Finley, Kohshin Finley, Charles Gaines, Todd Gray, Neil Hamamoto, Richard Hawkins, Shana Hoehn, Alex Israel, Greg Ito, Ozzie Juarez, Kara Joslyn, Shio Kusaka, Alicja Kwade, Simone Leigh, Patrick Martinez, Erica Mahinay, Bob Van Breda, GaHee Park, Paul Pfeiffer, Jack Pierson, Uzi Parnes, Hayal Pozanti, Christina Quarles, Lauren Quin, Calida Rawles, Candice Romanelli, Amanda Ross-Ho, Robert Russell, Alison Saar, Betye Saar, Analia Saban, David Salle, Max Hooper Schneider, Alake Shilling, Cole Sternberg, Una Szeemann, Lava Thomas, Catherine Wagner, Kelly Wall, Mary Weatherford, Chloe Wise, Jonas Wood, Dustin Yellin, and Jwan Yosef.
Institutional Commitment
Frieze Los Angeles once again served as a significant platform for institutional acquisition and dialogue. Museums in attendance included representatives from leading institutions across the West Coast, the broader United States and internationally. Multiple works were acquired or placed on hold for public collections during the fair.
The second iteration of the Mohn Art Collective (MAC3) – a joint initiative between Hammer Museum, LACMA and MOCA – acquired works by Clarissa Tossin from kaufmann repetto’s presentation at the fair, Zenobia Lee from Sea View and Sharif Farrag from Jeffrey Deitch’s solo stand. The MAC3 collection is managed jointly by all three institutions.
Erica Mahinay was selected from Make Room’s presentation in Focus for the City of Santa Monica Art Bank x Frieze Los Angeles Acquisition Fund.
The California African American Museum Acquisition Fund acquired works by Jessica Taylor Bellamy from Anat Ebgi and Zenobia Lee from Sea View.
Frieze Los Angeles welcomed 160 local and international museum directors, institutional leaders, and curators, including Rich Aste (Seattle Art Museum), Sharon Atkins (Brooklyn Museum), Natasha Becker (de Young Museum), Jean-François Bélisle (National Gallery of Canada), Louise Bernard (Obama Presidential Center), Jonathan Binstock (The Phillips Collection), Dan Byers (Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts at Harvard University), Frida Cano (Craft Contemporary), Erin Christovale (Hammer), Anne Ellegood (ICA LA), Brian Ferriso (Dallas Museum of Art), Joseph Becker (SFMOMA), Kanitra Fletcher (National Gallery of Art), Katherine E. Fleming (J. Paul Getty Trust), Susie Ferrell (LACMA), Davide Gasparotto (J. Paul Getty Museum), Claire Gilman (The Morgan Library & Museum), James Glisson (Santa Barbara Museum of Art), Jennie Goldstein (Whitney Museum of American Art), Rita Gonzalez (LACMA), Thelma Golden (Studio Museum), Michael Govan (LACMA), Kit Hammonds (Museo Jumex), Carmen Hermo (MFA Boston), Joanne Heyler (The Broad), Laura Hyatt (Los Angeles Nomadic Division), Jamillah James (MCA Chicago), Kathryn Kanjo (UC Irvine Langson Institute and Museum of California Art), Clara Kim (MOCA LA), Sara Krajewski (Portland Art Museum), Nora Lawrence (Storm King Art Center), Nicola Lees (Aspen Art Museum), Key Jo Lee (Museum of the African Diaspora), Leah Lehmbeck (LACMA), Vivian Li (MOCA GA), Catharina Manchanda (Seattle Art Museum), Mitchell Merling (Virginia Museum of Fine Arts), Shamim M. Momin (The Bronx Museum), Rebecca Morse (LACMA), Diana Nawi (LACMA), Margot Norton (Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive), Andrew Perchuk (Getty Research Institute), Glen R. Phillips (Getty Research Institute), Paulina Pobocha (Art Institute of Chicago), Paul Baker Prindle (MMoCA), Armando Pulido (The Huntington), Pablo José Ramírez (Hammer Museum), Sarah Russin (Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions), Zoë Ryan (Hammer), Kevin Salatino (Art Institute of Chicago), Claudia Schmuckli (FAMSF), Hanneke Skerath (Marciano Art Foundation), Cameron Shaw (California African American Museum), Jon Shirley (Seattle Art Museum), Amanda Sroka (ICA LA), Angela Stief (Albertina), Cornelia Stokes (MoAD / SFMOMA), Catherine Taft (The Brick), Andrew Utt (ICA San Diego), Samuel Vasquez (Performance Art Museum), Christine Vendredi (Palm Springs Art Museum), Melissa Venator (Saint Louis Art Museum), Monetta White (Museum of the African Diaspora), and Lu Xun (Sifang Art Museum).
Frieze Projects
For this year’s fair, Frieze Projects included public artworks installed on-site, curated by Art Production Fund and titled Body & Soul. The special section featured site-specific installations by Los Angeles-based artists Dan John Anderson, Polly Borland, Cosmas & Damian Brown, Kohshin Finley, Shana Hoehn, Amanda Ross-Ho and Kelly Wall, presenting works exploring the human form across physical, temporal and spatial dimensions.
Each day of the fair during open hours, Amanda Ross-Ho conducted her durational performance Untitled Orbit (MANUAL MODE), in which she rolled a 16-foot inflatable Earth counterclockwise around the perimeter of the Airport Park Soccer Field; the artist totalled 32 hours of revolutions. Additionally, Frieze Projects expanded off the fair campus to a former Westwood Village newsstand with Kelly Wall’s installation Everything Must Go, which featured glass magazine works with skyline covers illuminated on a lightbox shelves.
Deutsche Bank Frieze Los Angeles Film Award
The fair also saw the seventh edition of the Deutsche Bank Frieze Los Angeles Film Award, realised in collaboration with acclaimed non-profit Ghetto Film School. Since its launch in 2019, the initiative has supported over 45 fellows, providing a platform for emerging voices in filmmaking.
Joey Bueno Breese was awarded the $10,000 prize for his film El Rio Nuestro, which follows a young man as he walks alongside the Los Angeles River, encountering figures from the past and bearing witness to his surroundings and their inhabitants. Devin O’Guinn received the Audience Award and a $2,500 prize for his film Julian, which depicts an aspiring professional bodybuilder who receives a devastating medical diagnosis.
Britta Färber, Global Head of Art & Culture, Deutsche Bank, said: ‘This year’s shortlisted filmmakers truly impressed us with works responding to the theme of renewal, resilience and new beginnings, shaped by the context of last year’s LA wildfires. For more than 45 years, Deutsche Bank has supported emerging creatives across contemporary art and culture, and our partnership with Frieze on this award since 2019 exemplifies that commitment. Congratulations to Joey Bueno Breese and Devin O’Guinn on this year’s win—we are excited to see how all the filmmakers continue to develop their practices.’
Frieze Impact Prize and Broader Cultural Reach
Frieze hosted a dedicated booth for the 2026 Frieze Impact Prize winner, Napoles Marty, which sold out the presentation. The award, launched in collaboration with WME and presented in 2026 in partnership with NXTHVN, reflects Frieze’s commitment to supporting artist-led practice beyond the commercial framework.
Beyond commercial results, Frieze Los Angeles once again catalysed activity across the city, with major museum exhibitions, gallery openings and performances taking place throughout the week. The fair continues to contribute meaningfully to the city’s cultural and economic ecosystem, supporting local creative communities, hospitality and small businesses while bringing a global audience to Los Angeles.
Frieze is a leading global contemporary art organisation, recognised for its art fairs, publications, and digital presence. Founded in 1991 with the launch of frieze magazine, the brand has grown to encompass seven of the most significant art fairs worldwide in cities including Chicago, London, Los Angeles, New York and Seoul. These events attract leading artists, galleries and collectors, fostering innovative dialogues and practices within the art community. Frieze magazine continues to set the benchmark for insightful art.