With galleries catering to every type of art collector—from the budget shopper to the serious investor, including those with a penchant for the quirky and the provocative—Los Angeles is an art lover’s (and artist’s) dream destination. And this season, there are a number of must-see shows where you’re bound to find that one-of-a-kind addition to your art collection.
By Teena Apeles.
For the Post-It Lover
Catch it while you can: Upward of 400 artists and 3,000 3-by-3-inch pieces of artwork comprise GR2 Gallery’s annual Post-it Show. From Dec. 1-9, GR2’s walls are covered in perhaps the most art you’ve ever seen packed in a gallery of its size, by some of the biggest names in the L.A. art scene. Do the names Matt Groening, Gary Baseman or Audrey Kawasaki ring a bell? One fan calls the event “art for everyone.” “People line up overnight, in some cases, four or five days, just to get to the front of the line,” says owner Eric Nakamura, who also operates the nearby Giant Robot Store, which is chock-full of wondrous gifts of all sizes. GR2 Gallery, 2062 Sawtelle Blvd., West L.A., 424.246.7626 and Giant Robot, 2015 Sawtelle Blvd., West L.A., 310.478.1819. giantrobot.com
FOR THE COLLECTOR OF ALL MEDIA
Welcome to America—the first U.S. solo show by art-world sensation Farshad Farzankia—is at the Richard Heller Gallery through Dec. 15. Based in Copenhagen, the artist works in various media, including installations and painted wood sculptures. His large canvases and sculptures pop with color and are inspired by that which many of us hold so dear: memories of our youth and family. Richard Heller Gallery, 2525 Michigan Ave., B-5A, Santa Monica, 310.453.9191. richardhellergallery.com
For Music Aficionados
If photography is more your style, add the Mark Seliger: Photographs exhibit at Fahey/Klein to your itinerary. Even if you don’t know his name, you’ve seen Seliger’s portraits of America’s most treasured icons: former President Barack Obama, Muhammad Ali and Johnny Cash, to name a few. Over the past 30-plus years, the photographer’s work has graced numerous magazine covers and advertisements. This month, pick up one of his limited-edition prints of music’s most enduring personalities: Cobain, LL Cool J, Bowie, Springsteen, Pavarotti and many more. Fahey/Klein Gallery, 148 N. La Brea Ave., L.A., 323.934.2250. faheykleingallery.com
For the Blue-Chip Collector
If money is no object to you—we’re talking works in the tens of thousands to half a million dollars—the new Maddox Gallery Los Angeles knows just what you want. Banksy, Damien Hirst, Raphael Mazzucco, Mark Quinn, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Bradley Theodore are just some of the superstar artists whose work has been featured in the gallery’s massive 3,000-square-foot space. See Mazzucco’s work through Dec. 14, followed by the Winter Contemporary group show. Don’t forget to pick up something for us! Maddox Gallery Los Angeles, 8811 Beverly Blvd., West Hollywood, 424.303.7664. maddoxgallery.com
For the Window-Shopper
If you’re “just looking,” then head to ICA LA. Since this is technically a museum, you can just look and dream—and what uplifting shows they have: California native B. Wurtz’s This Has No Name, a mixed-media exhibition that frames everyday materials in a remarkable and, at times, humorous way, and Nina Chanel Abney’s Royal Flush, featuring her vibrant and memorable figurative paintings. Don’t forget to stop at the gift shop, which carries various items as imaginative and varied as the art itself. Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, 1717 E. 7th St., downtown, 213.928.0833. theicala.org
