“Powerful Artworks on Resilience and Resistance Shine at Frieze LA”
# Frieze Los Angeles 2025: A Celebration of Creative Resilience and Community Rebuilding
### By [Your Name]
Frieze Los Angeles 2025 opened in spectacular fashion at the Santa Monica Airport on February 20, overcoming months of uncertainty sparked by the devastating wildfires that swept through the Pacific Palisades and Altadena in January. While some questioned whether it was “too soon” to proceed with the event, organizers ultimately pressed forward, viewing the international art fair as an opportunity to support artists and galleries affected by the destruction. In a nod to this reality, Frieze adopted the subtitle **”A Celebration of Creative Resilience and Community Rebuilding,”** highlighting the power of art to foster recovery.
## Wildfires and the Art Community
The fires significantly impacted Los Angeles’s art community, destroying homes, studios, and vital cultural spaces. Artists, galleries, and museums were forced to reevaluate their operations in the wake of the disaster, and many found themselves in urgent need of support. In response, Frieze pledged **10% of ticket sales** to the **LA Arts Community Fire Relief Fund**, while also launching the **”Galleries Together” initiative** to offer financial assistance to affected galleries.
Despite these charitable efforts, the fair remained a high-profile commercial event, showcasing almost **100 exhibitors** from around the world. While some questioned whether such a large-scale fair was appropriate so soon after a disaster, attendees and organizers appeared eager to prove that the Los Angeles art scene was as vibrant and resilient as ever.
## Art as a Reflection of Loss and Rebirth
One of the most poignant pieces at Frieze LA was **Dominique Moody’s “NOMAD” (2015–2025)**, a hand-built trailer created from recycled wood, steel, and scavenged materials. Originally constructed at **Zorthian Ranch**, a historic arts enclave that burned down in the fires, Moody dedicated her work to individuals who “lost everything.” The installation not only symbolized personal loss but also served as a testament to resilience, particularly within the **Black Arts community**, which suffered significant damage during the fires.
Nearby, artist **Jackie Amezquita** presented **”trazos de energía entre trayectorias fugaces” (strokes of energy between impermanent traces) (2025)**, an installation of lava rocks, soil, and corn masa—a reference to displacement and forced migration. Her work, resembling an ancient **Mesoamerican pyramid**, underscored the deep historical ties between community, survival, and spiritual endurance.
Other installations, such as **Ozzie Juarez’s recreation of a South Central Swap Meet**, also celebrated cultural traditions and resilience, reinforcing the fair’s theme of rebuilding and renewal.
## The Commercial Success of Frieze LA
Despite initial concerns about attendance and sales, exhibitors at Frieze LA 2025 realized early success. LA art dealer **Sebastian Gladstone** reported selling **seven of nine sculptures by Emmanuel Louisnord Desir** for prices between $10,000 and $40,000, while Japanese-born artist **Tomokazu Matsuyama** nearly sold out his paintings, priced between $100,000 and $600,000.
Several galleries noted that while high-profile collectors had yet to arrive, the presence of **Hollywood celebrities like Kid Cudi, Balthazar Getty, and Justine Bateman** helped generate buzz. More importantly, many galleries reported strong engagement from local buyers, emphasizing the role of LA’s collector base in supporting its art scene after the fires.
Of particular note was the **Southern Guild booth**, which featured five female artists, including **Zanele Muholi, Alex Hedison, Bonolo Kavula, Zizipho Poswa,** and **Manyaku Mashilo**. The gallery, originally based in South Africa, expanded to LA in 2024 and saw great interest from collectors at its debut Frieze LA presentation.
## Frieze Impact Prize and Art with a Message
Every year, Frieze LA awards its **Impact Prize** to an artist addressing social issues through their work. This year’s winner, **Victor “Marka27” Quiñonez**, presented *I.C.E. SCREAM* (2025), a collection of brightly colored neon **paletas (Mexican ice pops)** that rebranded U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as *”U.S. Inhumane and Cruelty Enforcement.”*
The fair also hosted a powerful feminist and immigrant-rights statement in **Tanya and Karla Aguiñiga’s “Frutas Coquetas (Sexy Fruit)” (2025)** installation. Created in collaboration with refugees and asylum seekers, the piece reimagines a traditional fruit vendor cart as a site of political resistance, challenging systemic inequality through art.
## The Bigger Picture: Art as a Force for Community Healing
Frieze LA 202