The fifth edition of Frieze Los Angeles wrapped up in the Santa Monica Airport on Sunday, leaving behind a trail of significant sales and positivity among gallerists. This iteration of the leading West Coast fair hosted an audience of 32,000 from 48 countries over its four-day run, cementing its position as a pivotal event in the art world calendar. This year’s edition of the fair hosted more than 95 exhibitors from 21 countries.
“Once again, Frieze Los Angeles raised the bar,” said Christine Messineo, Frieze’s director of Americas. “Following a strong preview day, galleries continued to report sold-out booths, seven-figure sales, and notable museum acquisitions across the weekend. The fair and Frieze Week lead the growth of the city’s art community, and this year we’ve created more opportunities for institutions and nonprofits to strengthen their collections and reach. Locals and international visitors have reveled in each day at the fair, proving that Los Angeles is a city that creates, loves, and buys art.”
The fair’s opening preview last Thursday set the tone for the event, attracting Hollywood A-listers, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Jessica Alba, Mahershala Ali, Will Ferrell, Jane Fonda, Diane Keaton, and countless more. Leading the charge in the flurry of initial sales was a $2 million drawing, Pamuk (2009), by Richard Serra, presented by Gladstone Gallery. The VIP day also brought in several other six- and seven-figure sales, including a work by Robert Longo for $1.6 million and a work by Anselm Kiefer for €1.3 million ($1.4 million), both sold by Thaddaeus Ropac.
Here, we run down the key sales reported by galleries at Frieze Los Angeles 2024.
Almine Rech’s notable sales included the following:
- Brian Calvin’s On the Beach (2023) sold for a price in the range of $110,000–$120,000.
- Vaughn Spann’s Untitled (2023) sold for a price in the range of $90,000–$110,000.
- Umar Rashid’s The Ilqaluit Event. Dance of the aurora. Or, violence is a prerequisite for pink snow. 1799. (2024) sold for a price in the range of $60,000–$70,000.
- Inès Longevial’s Red Tulip (2023) sold for a price in the range of €50,000–€60,000 ($54,300–$65,160).
- Emma Stern’s Ashlynne (siesta) (2024) sold for a price in the range of $40,000–$50,000.
- Daniel Gibson’s Our bones are lightning (2024) sold for a price in the range of $40,000–$45,000.
- Gwen O’Neil’s Swing Spring (2024) sold for a price in the range of $35,000–$40,000.
- Sasha Ferré’s Ask her if the fire hurts (2023) sold for a price in the range of €25,000–€30,000 ($27,150–$32,580).
- Chloe Wise’s permanent emergency (2023) sold for a price in the range of $25,000–$30,000.
- Sylvia Ong’s Untitled (2023) sold for a price in the range of $25,000–$30,000.
- Federico Herrero’s Letters and Sounds (2023) sold for a price in the range of $25,000–$30,000.
Top reported sales at Thaddaeus Ropac included the following:
- Robert Longo’s Untitled (Julien) (2016) sold for $1.6 million.
- Anselm Kiefer’s Sag mir, wo die Blumen sind (2012/2022) sold for €1.3 million ($1.4 million).
- Martha Jungwirth’s Ohne Titel, aus der Serie “Goya” (2023) sold for €420,000 ($456,130). Jungwirth’s Ohne Titel (2022) and Untitled (2023) also sold for €90,000 ($97,740) and €75,000 ($81,450), respectively.
- Joan Snyder’s Even A Melon Field (2020–23) sold for $210,000; and No Formalities (2015) and Pumpkin Field/Magenta Flowers (2012) both sold for $130,000.
- Jonathan Lasker’s Why Opinions Form (2021) sold for $175,000.
Top sales at Pace Gallery included the following:
- Robert Longo’s Untitled (Dry Palm) (2023) sold for $700,000.
- A 2023 painting from Loie Hollowell’s “Split Orb” series sold for $450,000.
- Tony Smith’s Untitled (1958) sold for $250,000.
- Hank Willis Thomas’s Woman in the Yellow Dress (after Kelta) (2023) sold for $150,000.
- Li Songsong’s Panda (2023) sold for $138,000.
- Elmgreen & Dragset’s Cielo sobre Acapulco (2024) sold for $125,000.
- Peter Alexander’s 8/22/18 Bar (Thin Ash Green) (2018) sold for $75,000.
- Richard Misrach’s Cargo Ships (December 15, 2023 2:39 pm) (2023) sold for $70,000.
- Maysha Mohamedi’s Hobo Kills Man (2024) sold for $70,000.
- Alicja Kwade’s Know–ledge (Immortality-Maximilian) (2023) sold for €65,000 ($70,590).
- Torkwase Dyson’s Errantry (2024) sold for $65,000.
- Peter Hujar’s Ethyl Nude (III) (1978) sold for $35,000.
- Works by Sam Gilliam, Lee Ufan, and Gordon Parks sold for unspecified amounts.
Top sales from Lisson Gallery included the following:
- Anish Kapoor’s Mipa 5 Light to Prussian Blue Satin (2023) sold for £675,000 ($856,580).
- Olga de Amaral’s Moya F (2013) and Moya E (2013) both sold for $250,000, and Cuadro Verde Flotando (2007) and Cuadro Blanco Sobre Tierra (2007) sold for $45,000 apiece.
- Rodney Graham’s Untitled (2022) sold for $120,000.
- Hélio Oiticica’s Untitled (1956) sold for $120,000.
- Hugh Hayden’s Cousins (2024) sold for $110,000.
- Ryan Gander’s I be… (liii) (2024) sold for £95,000 ($120,560).
- Christopher Le Brun’s Summerland II (2023) sold for £80,000 ($101,520).
- Ryan Gander’s Irresistible Force Paradox (Hellgruen 227) (2024) sold for £75,000 ($95,180).
- Li Ran’s Riding on Ambiguity (2023) sold for $56,000, and Cure (2021) sold for $50,000.
- Kelly Akashi’s Cultivator (Sprouting Stamens) (2021–24) sold for $55,000, and Life Forms (2022–23) sold for $45,000.
- Sarah Cunningham’s Flood Bath (2024) sold for $30,000.
- Joanna Pousette-Dart’s Untitled-2 (2022) and Untitled-1 (2022) both sold for $25,000.
- Van Hanos’s Fiber Still Life (2024) sold for $15,000.
Top sales from Lehmann Maupin included the following:
- Two textile works by Billie Zangewa sold for a price in the range of $125,000–$250,000.
- Three paintings by Mandy El-Sayegh sold for a price in the range of $55,000–$75,000.
- Eight works by Kim Yun Shin sold, including six sculptures and two paintings.
- Liza Lou’s canvas work Get Off My Cloud (2024) sold to a prominent Swiss collection.
- A Calida Rawles limited-edition print sold for $12,000.
Xavier Hufkens’s top sales included the following:
White Cube’s top sales included the following:
- Antony Gormley’s FRAME II (2023) sold for £500,000 ($635,130).
- Lynne Drexler’s Spotted Background (1986) sold for $150,000.
- Tracey Emin’s Angel without You (2013) sold for £100,000 ($127,000).
- Marina Rheingantz’s Wall Paper (2023) sold for $90,000.
- Sara Flores’s Untitled (Shao Maya Kené 1, 2023) (2023) sold for $80,000.
- Josiah McElheny’s Projection into Another Future (Augmented Truncated Tetrahedron) (2023) sold for $65,000.
David Zwirner’s notable sales included the following primary-market works:
- Three paintings by Joe Bradley sold for prices in the range of $300,000–$450,000.
- Two John McCracken sculptures sold for prices in the range of $450,000–$500,000.
- A painting by Steven Shearer sold for $480,000.
- A painting by Lisa Yuskavage sold for $300,000.
- A Huma Bhabha sculpture sold for $650,000.
- A sculpture by Dana Schutz sold for $360,000.
- A Suzan Frecon painting sold for $250,000.
- A work by Wolfgang Tillmans sold for $120,000.
- The gallery also reported the sales of secondary-market works by Noah Davis, Raymond Pettibon, and Josef Albers.
Hauser & Wirth announced a slew of sales from the first day of the fair, including the following:
- An Ed Clark painting sold for $950,000.
- Frank Bowling’s painting Fishes, Wishes in Summertime Blue (2016) sold for $800,000.
- Charles Gaines’s Numbers and Trees: Arizona Series 1, Tree #2, Eagle (2023) sold for $795,000.
- John Chamberlain’s MISCHIEVOUSMERRIMENT (1999) sold for $625,000.
- Rita Ackermann’s Sandman’s Dust 3 (2023) sold for $450,000.
- Firelei Báez’s Balangandan (we are each other’s magnitude and bond) (2024) sold for $415,000.
- Mark Bradford’s Ghost Ship (2022) sold for $175,000.
Perrotin’s notable sales included the following:
Gladstone Gallery’s top sales included the following:
- Richard Serra’s Pamuk (2009) sold for $2 million.
- An Alex Katz painting sold for $650,000.
- Ugo Rondinone’s the sun at 12 am (2019) sold for $480,000.
- A drawing by Keith Haring sold for $135,000.
- Richard Aldrich’s Untitled (2012/2023–24) sold for $130,000.
- Philippe Parreno’s sculpture Iceman in Reality Park (1995–2019) sold for €175,000 ($190,020).
- A Robert Bechtle painting sold for $150,000.
- Carrie Mae Weems’s A Broad and Expansive Sky-Ancient Rome (2006) sold for $125,000.
- A Jim Hodges painting sold for $125,000.
- Maureen Gallace’s Rainbow Beach (2023) sold for $100,000.
A number of galleries reported sold-out booths at the fair, including the following: