This Year, Frieze LA Boasted Incredible Art

Installation view of Frieze Los Angeles, 2026

Sprüth Magers at Frieze LA 2026. (Photo: Casey Kelbaugh)

Once again, Frieze Los Angeles hosted a successful edition at the Santa Monica Airport campus. Across its four-day run, this year’s fair attracted more than 32,000 visitors—including representatives from 160 museums and institutions—and spotlighted over 100 galleries from around the world.

Considering its ambitious scope, Frieze LA unsurprisingly facilitated some significant sales. Gagosian, for instance, placed Ed Ruscha’s Heaven, and Hot Sparks as well as Frank Gehry’s Fish on Fire, while Hauser & Wirth sold out their presentation of new paintings by Conny Maier on the event’s opening day. David Zwirner, on the other hand, sold mixed-media work by Njideka Akunyili Crosby for $2.8 million to a European foundation, while Pace traded James Turrell’s 2021 installation Carat and Schtik for $950,000. White Cube, Garth Greenan Gallery, Gladstone, and Karma also performed exceptionally well this year, snatching a range of prices from $700,000 to $1 million.

“From the opening morning, it was clear that this year’s edition marked a new level of confidence for Frieze Los Angeles,” Christine Messineo, director of Americas at Frieze, remarked in a statement. “Collectors engaged with conviction across every section of the fair, and institutional participation was both deep and sustained.”

Emerging artists also found success at the 2026 edition. Frieze’s Focus platform, which champions new trailblazers, featured several sold-out displays, including Anthony Gallery’s presentation of Andrew J. Park and Hannah Traore Gallery’s presentation of Turiya Adkins. Taken in its entirety, Focus clearly inspired enthusiasm, proving just how eager collectors are for fresh talent.

“The strength of Focus, alongside the activity of our acquisition funds and prize initiatives, reflects a fair that has reached real maturity within the global calendar,” Messineo continued.

Emilia Yin, owner and director of Make Room, echoed the sentiment. Her organization placed all wall works from its solo presentation of Erica Mahinay, with paintings selling in the range of $5,500 to $35,000 and sculptures selling between $14,000 to $20,000. “We’re thrilled by the overwhelming response to Mahinay’s presentation in Focus,” Yin said. “All wall works sold out within the first few hours of our VIP opening. For Make Room, this moment exemplifies what we set out to do: champion extraordinary female artists and contribute meaningfully to the Los Angeles cultural ecosystem.”

Aside from reflecting a strong art market, Frieze LA unveiled an innovative program for Frieze Projects, whose theme revolved around “Body & Soul.” Encompassing public artworks installed on-site, the initiative explored 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, and those from the greater region, provided a resounding chorus of support and enthusiasm for contemporary art this week,” Tanya Bonakdar, founder and owner of her eponymous gallery, reflected.

“Los Angeles, one of the great cultural capitals of the United States, has always been central to our program and to my work as a dealer,” Garth Greenan agreed. “Frieze LA delivered on every level, offering meaningful opportunities to engage with thoughtful, deeply committed collectors and curators.”

Frieze has not yet announced the dates for the 2027 edition in LA. To learn more and stay updated about upcoming fairs, visit Frieze’s website.