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THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER 48 FEBRUA RY 12, 2020
FRIEZE 2019: MARK BLOWER (2).GRACE: COURTESY OF JIBADE-KHALIL HUFFMAN/ANAT EBGI, LOS ANGELES.SEX: CARMELA GROSS/COURTESY OF VERMELHO AND FRIEZE LA 2020. PITT: BILLY FARRELL/BFA.COM.ArtI
’m just happy we’ve got this in L.A now.
I hope we can keep it here,” Brad Pitt
told The Hollywood Reporter last year at
the VIP preview of Frieze Los Angeles’ inau-
gural edition, held at Paramount Studios.
Pitt was referring to the fact that art fairs
with a world-class presence have struggled in
Los Angeles. Case in point: Paris Photo, the
French fair that also set up shop at Paramount
in 2013, only to pull the plug after three years.
But Frieze L.A. got off to a rousing start last
year, with every public day sold out, 30,000
visitors over its four days, some galleries sell-
ing out entire booths and at least seven works
fetching more than $1 million.
Now, with the sophomore outing set to run
Feb. 14 to 16 (with a VIP preview on Feb. 13),
the affair feels like it’s gaining momentum.
“There are so many more events — I feel
like the city has really embraced it,” says art
adviser Maya McLaughlin, West Coast direc-
tor at SFA Advisory (clients of the firm have
included Leonardo DiCaprio). “It’s like being in
Miami [for Art Basel] in terms of every single
dealer having a big dinner.”
More than 70 galleries from around the
world will show inside an enormous tent.
Site-specific art installations will take over
Paramount’s backlot. And a Film & Talks
series will roll out mostly in the Paramount
Theatre (screenings include the 1988 ani-
mated cyberpunk movie Akira; among the
featured panels is a discussion on art patron-
age with Bad Robot co-CEO Katie McGrath).
At the same time, two other art fairs will
welcome art lovers in Hollywood — Felix (co-
founded by former TV exec Dean Valentine)With three art fairs descending on
Hollywood Feb. 13 to 16, the industry’s
art collector crowd, from Brad Pitt
to Jane Fonda, should be out in force
By Degen Pener and Jordan RiefeFrieze’s
‘Recognition
of the L.A.
Art Scene’
and Art Los Angeles Contemporary — while
many galleries and museums across L.A. have
aligned their openings. “It’s a testament to the
continued growth and deserved recognition of
the L.A. art scene,” says art collector and OWN
president Tina Perry.
Hovering over the fanfare, though, are
questions about the fair’s leadership going
forward. Frieze L.A.’s director Bettina Korek
is departing to become CEO of London’s
Serpentine Galleries (no replacement has
been named). Frieze also recently hired its
first CEO, media veteran Simon Fox, with fair
founders Amanda Sharp and Matthew Slotover
stepping back from executive management
duties. (In 2016, the pair sold a 70 percent
stake in Frieze to Endeavor and have a put
option to sell remaining shares this year.)
Here’s what to expect at Frieze 2020:THE MAIN FLOOR While the fair is on for four
days, the coveted ticket is the invitation-
only 10 a.m. VIP preview on Feb. 13. (Last
year’s opening day drew Jim Gianopulos,
Jane Fonda, DiCaprio, Norman Lear, Gersh’s
Leslie Siebert and Jodie Foster.) Early birds
potentially get first dibs on hot artworks,
though some pieces are presold before the
fair even opens. “You have many blue-chip
contemporary artists being presented who
don’t have representation in L.A., including
artists like Lisa Yuskavage and Yayoi Kusama,”
says art adviser Veronica Fernandez. Among
the highlights: Pace Gallery and L.A.’s Kayne
Griffin Corcoran present a joint show at their
adjacent booths of light works by James
Tu r r e l l, including an immersive LED ceiling
installation. Perry’s pro tip for making the
most of the experience: “Take your time andBrad Pitt (left) and Sylvester Stallone at the VIP preview
of Frieze Los Angeles in 2019, the fair’s debut year.1 On the Paramount backlot last
year, Hannah Greely’s sculptures
on clotheslines hung above
Kori Newkirk’s antenna sculpture.
2 Paul McCarthy’s inflatable
artworks were on display in 2019.
3 Jibade-Khalil Huffman’s May
Day billboard with Grace Jones will
be shown on the backlot this year.
4 Carmela Gross’ neon Sex War
Dance will be displayed at Frieze
this year by Galeria Vermelho.1 23 4