Colorful Conflict at Frieze, Felix + Art Los Angeles Contemporary Art Fairs
Six highlights from LA’s exemplary week of artistic immersion
As four art fairs—Frieze Los Angeles, Felix Art Fair, Art Los Angeles Contemporary, and SPRING/BREAK Art Show in (DTLA)—vied for attendee attention in LA, works within each outpost grappled with the role of color. Highlights of this nature were plentiful—crowned by James Turrell‘s exquisite releases at Pace Gallery and Ugo Rondinone‘s “Ten Mountains + One Sun,” both at Frieze—but certain works positioned their aesthetic value and substantive discourse in new ways. The following six pieces, drawn from three of the four fairs, triggered unmatched sensations relating to the conflict within their colors.
John M Armleder’s “Calcareus Sponge”
Within the walls of Frieze, NYC‘s Almine Rech gallery presented “Calcareus Sponge” (2016) by Swiss artist John M Armleder. The mixed-media work on canvas appears to represent two concepts at play, striking one another cleanly.
Channing Hansen’s “Interphase: for M and Y”
Part of the large-scale Frieze Projects segment of the fair, conceptual artist Channing Hansen‘s “Interphase: for M and Y” (2020) occupied one floor of a faux brownstone in the New York set of the Paramount backlot. Composed of performance and netting (from hand-dyed and spun wool), the magnificent webbed work was presented by LA’s Marc Selwyn Fine Art.
Pae White’s “Half Magic” + Various Corita Kent Works
Awhirl with color, Milan/NYC gallery Kaufmann Repetto‘s Frieze booth featured a globe-shaped mobile of strung components—2743 silk screened, electroplated steel discs upon 164 threads. This mesmerizing piece, “Half Magic” (2020) by LA-based Pae White, complemented the numerous Corita Kent works on the wall. The colorful conflict and cohesion of the booth captivated passersby.
Devin Troy Strother’s “just let’cha soul glow“
It was an important year for Art Los Angeles Contemporary (ALAC), as they moved into the iconic Hollywood Athletic Club. All presentations were strong but Hong Kong/Los Angeles gallery Over the Influence stunned with work from Devin Troy Strother. Of the many pieces, the acrylic and oil stick on linen work “just let’cha soul glow” (2020) epitomized the dialogue on the walls.
Gregor Hildebrandt’s “Du siehst wieder schon aus (Anne)”
From Berlin‘s Wentrup Gallery, artist Gregor Hildebrandt‘s “Du siehst wieder schon aus (Anne)” (2019) employed cut vinyl records and canvas for a geometric piece of substance and texture. Found within The Hollywood Roosevelt, home of Felix, it was one of many impressive works in an iteration from the fair that affirms its place as the most progressive and risk-taking.
Jim Lambie’s “Higher Than The Sun”
Everyone who passed Jim Lambie‘s “Higher Than The Sun” (2020), at Glasgow’s The Modern Institute/Toby Webster Ltd installation with Frieze, understood that the work was composed of sunglass lenses. Spiraling out, the wall-hung sculpture played with light and utilized the contrast of its individual components.
Hero image courtesy of Kaufmann Repetto, all other images by David Graver
