Los Angeles
Art Guide

West Hollywood gathers some of the art world's biggest names, such as Hauser & Wirth and Matthew Marks Gallery. Blue-chip dealers are found further south, in Mid-Wilshire, home to Pace Gallery, David Kordansky, and Sprüth Magers, among others. Nearby are also newcomers like Karma, who present colourful if not radical visions.

Founded in 1992, Hauser & Wirth represents well-established names including Lorna Simpson, Jenny Holzer, and Rashid Johnson, in addition to the estates of Louise Bourgeois, Eva Hesse, and the Henry Moore Family Collection. The gallery opened its Santa Monica Boulevard location in February 2023.

Sean Kelly Gallery's Hollywood space is a needed stop for serious collectors. Since 1991, Sean Kelly, a former museum curator, has supported established and mid-career talents such as Marina Abramović, Dawoud Bey, Joseph Kosuth, and Awol Erizku.

Karma promises a breath of fresh air further west. Founded in 2011 by Brendan Dugan, the gallery started with project-based exhibitions at a small West Village storefront in New York, and now represents a blend of young and established talent across four locations in New York and L.A.

Simchowitz was inaugurated in 2021 by renowned art collector and curator Stefan Simchowitz, with the intent to disrupt the gallery model by erasing waitlists and offering studios and workspaces to emerging artists. Set on East Washington Boulevard, the gallery represents Julian Pace, Elizabeth Ibarra, and Shaina McCoy, among others.

Sprüth Magers has become a legacy establishment in Europe since its 1998 inception by Monika Sprüth and Philomene Magers. Showcasing artists with presiding cultural significance, the gallery represents cult figures in modern and contemporary art such as Andreas Gursky, Kara Walker, and Nancy Holt.

Founded in 1995 in Paris, Praz-Delavallade has retained strong ties with L.A. artists since opening on Wilshire Boulevard in 2016. Sam Durant, Jim Shaw, and Marnie Weber are among the names introduced by the gallery to the European art scene.

Nearby, Roberts Projects represent mid-career and established artists with a focus on installation-based exhibitions and critical discourse. The gallery platforms a range of voices including that of Betye Saar, Dominic Chambers, and Dana Schutz.

Anat Ebgi was founded in 2012 to represent young, local talent in the Los Angeles area, and now has three galleries across Wilshire Boulevard, Fountain Avenue, and La Cienega Boulevard. Baik Art, whose additional outposts are sited in Seoul and Jakarta, also has a presence in L.A., showcasing a broad roster of international and diasporic artists.

Founded in Santa Monica in 1994, the blue-chip giant Blum & Poe represents over 50 artists worldwide. Its roster includes established names such as Lynda Benglis, Eddie Martinez, and Yoshitomo Nara, as well as younger artists including Collin Sekajugo.

Our exhibition profiles include press releases, installation images, and for gallery spaces, a selection of artworks being shown in Los Angeles. They also include access to profiles of exhibiting artists.

To present only the best of contemporary art on Ocula, our Members are determined by a selection committee of respected and influential international gallerists.

Best Exhibitions to See in Los Angeles

Although Los Angeles is considered a centre for culture, fashion, and the arts year-round, certain events draw art enthusiasts to the city each year. One of the most significant events is Frieze Los Angeles, held in February,. The West Coast edition of New York's and London's events of the same name, drawing collectors from around the globe. Another highlight is Made in L.A, which takes place biannually and focuses on local artists.

View our exhibition profiles to discover must-see exhibitions on display in Los Angeles. We've curated a selection of exhibitions and arts events featuring sculpture, painting on canvas and photographs, boasting endless possibilities to explore modern art, culture and fashion.

Each profile provides comprehensive information about the exhibition, delineating the specific art form showcased at the Los Angeles gallery showing the exhibition.readers can delve into insightful narratives about the artist and gain insights into the creative process behind the works on display.

Bringing Together the Leading Art in Los Angeles

Los Angeles is an ideal place to experience American fashion and the arts. Whether you're interested in viewing sculptures and ceramics, abstract paintings, ink and paper drawings or photography, a wide variety of works are on display in Los Angeles throughout the year.

Stay up-to-date with what's showing in each museum's art spaces, courtesy of our email newsletter.

The largest art museum in the western U.S., Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) boasts a collection of nearly 152,000 works. A new building for LACMA's permanent collection is scheduled for completion in late 2024. In the meantime, collection displays can be viewed in BCAM and the Resnick Pavilion.

Uphill in the Santa Monica Mountains is the Getty Center, a campus of the Getty Museum designed by architect Richard Meier, which includes the Getty Research Institute and the Getty Conservation Institute. The collection spans historic masterpieces by Holbein and Rembrandt, to works by Ed Ruscha, Roy Lichtenstein, and more.

Founded in 1990, Hammer Museum houses works by European masters such as Manet, Gauguin, and Van Gogh. The Hammer Projects series, of which there are around 15 each year, spotlights local and international contemporary and emerging artists.

L.A.'s only artist-founded museum, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA) is dedicated to the collection and exhibition of art created after 1940. Its permanent collection represents artists such as Mark Rothko, Cindy Sherman, and Andy Warhol.

In downtown L.A., Spring Arts Tower hosts the Spring Arts Collective, five artists who organise exhibitions and receptions throughout the year. Nearby is The Broad, with its collection of 2,000 post-war and contemporary artworks.

Art + Practice (A+P) in South Los Angeles supports foster youth and children experiencing displacement through public arts programming and collaborations with non-profit social service providers across its 20,000-square-foot campus.

Our team regularly covers shows and art news relevant to Los Angeles. Ocula has interviewed many of the world's leading artists who show regularly in Los Angeles galleries and museums, including Lauren Halsey, Tala Madani, and Jim Shaw. Our editorial team also covers exhibitions via Insights and Features.

Led by Ocula's founder Simon Fisher, Ocula Advisory assists new and established collectors in growing and managing their collections.

With 40+ years of combined experience and extensive relationships with galleries, auction houses, art dealers, and collectors, Ocula Advisory has exceptional knowledge of modern and contemporary art, as well as market trends.

Follow Advisory Picks, Perspectives, and Selections for must-see art in Los Angeles.

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Los Angeles has propelled the careers of local and international artists, with its museums and galleries providing a global stage for seminal exhibitions. Notable artists who have shown in the city include Richard Tuttle, Martin Creed, Greg Ito, and Cao Fei.

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