Frieze LA 2026: An Unforgettable Exhibition Highlighting Exceptional Art, Unprecedented Attendance, and Robust Sales
Once more, Frieze Los Angeles presented a thriving installment at the Santa Monica Airport campus. Throughout its four-day duration, this year’s fair drew more than 32,000 attendees—including delegates from 160 museums and institutions—and highlighted over 100 galleries globally.
Given its ambitious nature, Frieze LA naturally facilitated some noteworthy sales. Gagosian, for example, sold Ed Ruscha’s Heaven, and Hot Sparks as well as Frank Gehry’s Fish on Fire, while Hauser & Wirth sold out their exhibition of new works by Conny Maier on the first day of the event. Meanwhile, David Zwirner sold mixed-media pieces by Njideka Akunyili Crosby for $2.8 million to a European foundation, and Pace traded James Turrell’s 2021 installation Carat and Schtik for $950,000. White Cube, Garth Greenan Gallery, Gladstone, and Karma also excelled this year, achieving prices ranging from $700,000 to $1 million.
“From the opening morning, it was apparent that this year’s edition signified a new level of assurance for Frieze Los Angeles,” stated Christine Messineo, director of Americas at Frieze. “Collectors engaged with determination across every area of the fair, and the participation from institutions was both extensive and enduring.”
Emerging artists also thrived at the 2026 edition. Frieze’s Focus platform, which supports new innovators, showcased several sold-out exhibits, including Anthony Gallery’s display of Andrew J. Park and Hannah Traore Gallery’s exposition of Turiya Adkins. Viewed as a whole, Focus evidently generated excitement, demonstrating how enthusiastic collectors are for new talent.
“The robustness of Focus, combined with the activity of our acquisition funds and award initiatives, signifies a fair that has achieved genuine maturity within the global arts calendar,” Messineo added.
Emilia Yin, owner and director of Make Room, mirrored this sentiment. Her organization sold all wall works from its solo exhibition of Erica Mahinay, with paintings priced between $5,500 to $35,000 and sculptures ranging from $14,000 to $20,000. “We’re delighted by the incredible response to Mahinay’s presentation in Focus,” Yin expressed. “All wall works sold out in the initial hours of our VIP opening. For Make Room, this moment encapsulates our mission: to support remarkable female artists and contribute significantly to the Los Angeles cultural landscape.”
Beyond showcasing a robust art market, Frieze LA introduced an innovative program for Frieze Projects, themed “Body & Soul.” Featuring public artworks positioned on-site, the initiative examined the “human form across physical, temporal, and spatial dimensions,” according to the fair. Highlights included Amanda Ross-Ho’s Untitled Orbit (MANUAL MODE), a durational performance in which she rolled a 16-foot inflatable Earth counterclockwise around the perimeter of the Airport Park Soccer Field each day during the fair’s open hours. In total, she completed 32 hours of revolutions.
“The LA community, along with those from the wider region, provided an enthusiastic chorus of support for contemporary art this week,” reflected Tanya Bonakdar, founder and owner of her namesake gallery.
“Los Angeles, one of the premier cultural capitals of the United States, has always been pivotal to our program and to my work as a dealer,” Garth Greenan concurred. “Frieze LA succeeded on every front, offering significant opportunities to engage with thoughtful, deeply committed collectors and curators.”
Frieze has yet to disclose the dates for the 2027 edition in LA. For more information and to stay informed about upcoming fairs, visit Frieze’s website.