LOS ANGELES, CA.- Frieze Los Angeles 2023 closed on Sunday evening to reports of strong sales, international attendees, energy, and enthusiasm, attracting 35,000 visitors throughout the fair’s four day run. This year the event was held at a new location at the Santa Monica Airport, with over 120 galleries from 22 countries, its largest number of participants to date.

Running from an invitation-only preview on Thursday, February 16 to Sunday, February 19, Frieze Los Angeles brought together galleries, institutions, non-profits, philanthropists, and artists to celebrate the city’s arts and cultural communities. Opening to high energy in the early hours of Thursday morning, all four days of the fair saw major sales and notable attendance from international collectors, museum groups and major figures from the cultural and entertainment worlds.

Christine Messineo, Director of Americas, Frieze: ‘Each year Frieze rallies the creative communities in Los Angeles for a moment that extends far beyond the fair itself. This week demonstrated that Los Angeles is a serious collecting city, galleries brought museum quality works and their ambition was rewarded. We saw significant numbers and sales from opening day through to the end of the fair proving Frieze Los Angeles is an international destination.’

Significant Sales Reported at All Levels




The opening day preview on Thursday, February 16 saw significant placements with galleries reporting praise from collectors and institutions, resulting in many sold out presentations.

In the early hours of the first day, Hauser & Wirth sold works including the painting Shall Rest in Honor There (2023) by Mark Bradford for $3.5 million, the painting Untitled (2022) by Henry Taylor for $450,000 and a painting by Luchita Hurtado for $225,000; David Kordansky Gallery sold out their solo booth of paintings by Chase Hall to major international institutions and collectors; Gladstone Gallery sold pieces including the photograph Untitled (cowboy) (1998) by Richard Prince for $3 million and a bronze wall-mounted piece by Keith Haring for $500,000; Gagosian sold out their booth of recent paintings and works on paper by Rick Lowe; Victoria Miro placed all 18 paintings in their solo presentation of Doron Langberg ranging in price from $18,000 to $80,000; Pace sold a significant Agnes Martin painting for an undisclosed sum as well as a range of works priced between $45,000 and $2 million, including new works by Adrian Ghenie, Yoshitomo Nara, and Matthew Day Jackson, paintings by Thomas Nozkowski and LA-based Maysha Mohamedi, and a small-scale edition of The Embrace by Hank Willis Thomas as well as further sales on the sales throughout the fair; David Zwirner sold paintings including The Encounter by Dana Schutz for $1.2 million to a European institution and Sari by Lisa Yuskavage for $1 million; Thaddeus Ropac sold pieces including a painting by Robert Rauschenberg for $1,700,000, a painting by Alex Katz for $1,500,000, a painting by Martha Jungwirth for €330,000, and a painting by Rachel Jones for £150,000; Xavier Hufkens’ sales included Green Vase with Carnations (1982) by Alice Neel for approximately $1,100,000, a painting by Tracey Emin for approximately £500,000 and a painting by McArthur Binion for approximately $225,000.

Tiwani Contemporary sold out their booth of paintings by Michaela Yearwood-Dan, two of which were placed with prominent institutions; in their joint solo presentation of work by Ernie Barnes, Andrew Kreps Gallery and Ortuzar Projects sold major works including a painting for over $1 million, three paintings for approximately $500,000 each and eight works on paper priced between $60,000 and $100,000; Château Shatto sold a painting by Helen Johnson for $120,000, alongside paintings by Jonny Negron and Zeinab Saleh ranging from $10,000 to $35,000 each; Jessica Silverman sold a large-scale sculpture for $225,000 by Woody De Othello and three sculptures by Rose B. Simpson in the range of $55,000 and $95,000 each, a painting by Rebecca Ness for $65,000 and a work by Pae White for $50,000;Tina Kim Gallery sold a work by Ha Chong-Hyun in the range of $300,000 and $400,000 and a painting by Pactia Abad in the range of $175,000 to $250,000; James Cohan sold a hand-embroidered work by Jordan Nassar for $200,000, a work by Eamon Ore-Giron for $65,000 and a painting by Naudline Pierre for $60,000; Nara Roesler sold two archival inkjet prints by Vik Muniz for $50,000 and $35,000 each and a painting by Fabio Miguez; Lehmann Maupin sold six paintings by London-based artist Chantal Joffe for a combined total of £200,000, three works by Loriel Beltrán for a combined total of $135,000 and a hand-stitched silk collage by Billie Zangewa for $100,000.

Galleries located in the fair’s West Site also reported strong sales, highlights include Robilant + Voena who sold a work by Lucio Fontana for over $1 million, a work by Alexander Calder and a sculpture by renowned contemporary Californian artist Barry X Ball; Joyhun Gallery sold two large works by Lee Bae for $207,000 each; Hakgojae sold two paintings by Haindoo, three works on paper by Joung Young-Ju and two paintings by Song Hyun-Sook and Richard Saltoun Gallery sold over ten works by Polish fiber artist Barbara Levittoux-Šwiderska, priced between $8,000 and $120,000.

Also in the West Site were galleries showing in the much-celebrated Focus section of the fair that provides a platform for emerging US-based galleries under 12 years of operation. Focus was co-curated by Amanda Hunt (Head of Public Engagement, Learning, and Impact, Walker Art Center) and Sonya Tamaddon (Independent Curator). Many participants in the section reported resounding success with their presentations. Sow & Tailor placed all works by Veronica Fernandez priced between $14,000 and $26,000 each; Patron sold out of their booth of works by Greg Breda; Make Room placed all works in their two artist booth by Shana Hoehn and Guimi You; Nonaka-Hill sold out their presentation of works by Kyoko Idetsu, priced between $3,500 and $20,000 each; Anat Ebgi placed all four works presented by Jane Margarette, priced in the range of $10,000 to $25,000 each and Parker Gallery sold four paintings by Annabeth Marks and four sculptures by Nancy Shaver, all priced between $7,000 and $15,000. Chris Sharp Gallery sold multiple paintings by Edgar Ramirez priced between $12,000 and $20,000, with Bajío (2023) placed with The City of Santa Monica Art Bank Collection as part of a newly-founded partnership between Frieze and the City to grow their municipal art collection.