Association of Professional Art Advisors’ Top 10 Picks from Frieze Los Angeles Viewing Room 2024
Ten members of the renowned professional body choose works from the Frieze Viewing Room, including a sensational late 1960s Alma Thomas and an outstanding woven piece by Jeremy Frey
Ten members of the renowned professional body choose works from the Frieze Viewing Room, including a sensational late 1960s Alma Thomas and an outstanding woven piece by Jeremy Frey
Whitney Bedford, Veduta (Vuillard Jardins Publics), 2023–24 (above)
Nine oil and ink on hybrid panels, 214.63 x 852.93 x 5.08 cm overall. Presented by Vielmetter Los Angeles. $250–$500k
“In Veduta (Vuillard Jardins Publics), Whitney Bedford has taken a classic work of art and melded it into a contemporary work with sensitivity and care. The mood is gentle and serene, just as you experience with a Vuillard. I like the use of color—unexpected and even violent—but it meshes easily with the overall work.” Clarice Pecori Giraldi
Louise Bonnet, Pearls, 2024
Oil on linen, 76 × 102 cm. Presented by Galerie Max Hetzler. Sold.
“This introspective and surreal painting by Louise Bonnet resonated with the entire team at LSS Art Advisory. The Swiss artist, who calls Los Angeles home, skillfully navigates nuanced art historical references while making paintings that are distinctly of the moment. In Pearls, Bonnet revisits the enduring theme of vanity as her iridescent, hunched figure gazes at its reflection in the shell-like vessel, an opulent pearl necklace materializing from the back of the figure’s neck. Bonnet pays homage to influences such as Caravaggio, whose own Narcissus seems eerily present in her dramatically-lit composition. Like any great work of art, Bonnet’s painting raises more questions than it answers.” Laura Smith Sweeney
Andrea Bowers, The Dead Silence of Extinction (Moloka’i Creeper, last confirmed sighting 1963, HI, scientific specimen preserved at Auckland Museum’s Natural History Collection), 2023
Graphite and soft pastel on paper, 38.1 × 56.52 cm. Presented by Vielmetter Los Angeles. $20k–$50k
“This subtle, detailed, pencil and pastel drawing by artist and activist Andrea Bowers, The Dead Silence of Extinction (Moloka’i Creeper, last confirmed sighting 1963, HI, scientific specimen preserved at Auckland Museum’s Natural History Collection), draws from images of extinct bird specimens from the aforementioned museum’s collection to illustrate the precarious nature of our present world. Having just viewed similar poignant drawings in Bowers’ exhibition “Exist, Flourish, Evolve” at MoCa Cleveland, where the artist tackles environmental concerns head on (Bowers grew up on Lake Erie, OH), I could not help but be inspired and hope for a brighter world. The fragile nature of our ecosystem and the impact on wildlife are a continued throughline in Bowers’ work, beckoning us all to take urgent note and care for our planet.” Joanne Cohen
Jordan Casteel, Naima’s Gift (Deon, Kym and Noah), 2023
Oil on canvas, 238.76 cm × 203.2 cm. Presented by Casey Kaplan Gallery. Price on application
“One of the highlights of Frieze Los Angeles 2024 will be the first solo presentation of Jordan Casteel’s work on the West Coast. Reflecting on her move from the city to the country, this large-scale portrait Naima’s Gift (Deon, Kym and Noah), 2023 is full of sunlight and happiness. Kicking a foot and a direct gaze towards us, the toddler is nestled in the sweet embrace of his parents in a garden they built. The expressive intimacy between the artist and her subjects, the tangible warmth and glory of the garden on a summer day, make this one of the must-see paintings at Frieze Los Angeles.” Lisa Marie Marks
Jeremy Frey, Duality, 2024
Ash, sweetgrass, synthetic dye and granite, 36.5 × 34.6 × 34.6 cm. Presented by Karma. $50k–$100k
“Over the past few years there has been a tremendous focus and interest in both craft and Native American artists. Artists such as Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, Kay WalkingStick and Jeffrey Gibson have each had high-profile exhibitions at museums and international venues around the globe. Thus, it is exciting to see the traditional basket-weaving practice of artist Jeremy Frey receiving the attention so well deserved. Frey was born in Maine on the Passamquoddy Indian Township Reservation. Frey’s mastery of weaving is most evident in the stunning vessels and urns he has received global attention for well beyond the craft community. His work has been included in numerous museum exhibitions including at the deCordova Museum, Portland Museum of Art and Smithsonian Art Museum. I am extremely excited to see Karma’s stunning Frey on view at Frieze Los Angeles.” Erica Barrish
Sheila Hicks, Only snow can save us, 2013–2023
Linen, cotton and silk, 120 × 60 × 50 cm. Presented by Galerie Frank Elbaz. $380,000
“When a particular art form or movement experiences a surge of interest, I always find myself drawn to explore the work of its pioneers. In the realm of contemporary textile art, which has garnered significant attention in recent years, Sheila Hicks emerges as one of the trailblazers. Hicks reshaped and elevated this medium through decades of exploration with new materials and techniques and has inspired countless artists to push the boundaries of textile art. Her extensive travels have allowed her to draw inspiration from a diverse range of cultures and traditions. This cross-cultural aspect and her deep connection to nature, remain significant themes in her art that I deeply admire. The influence of organic forms is strikingly evident in this very elegant piece. With its signature twisted ropes, harmonious color accents and sculptural presence, it effortlessly adds sophistication to its surrounding space, showcasing the mastery of Hicks’s work.” Ellen de Schepper
Louise Lawler, It hurts, 2007/08
Silver dye bleach print on museum box 56.5 × 47.9 cm. Presented by Sprüth Magers. Sold.
“Louise Lawler is one of the most important conceptual artists of our time but not one to seek the spotlight. Discreet, poetic and often witty, she plays within and against the art world to question our concepts of value, politics of the art market and those of society more broadly. It hurts is a perfect example: Lawler often makes photographs of other artists’ work in various settings and stages of progress through their lifecycle. Here she captures Jenny Holzer’s “Redaction Painting” series which represents declassified documents on the American government’s activity; the title sets the tone for the emotional context. Holzer’s works were ready to be installed for their dual exhibition in Paris at Yvon Lambert Gallery, which was at the forefront of contemporary art in Paris for decades. On a technical note, the silver-dye bleach printing technique used for the print produces beautifully rich and, importantly, very stable images, avoiding the conservation issues of other photographic techniques.” Hailey Widrig
Paulo Nimer Pjota, Árvore da vida, 2023
Acrylic, oil and tempera on canvas, 209.6 × 161.93 cm. Presented by Mendes Wood DM. $20k–$50k
“Árvore da vida (Portuguese for ‘Tree of Life’) is a great example of the kind of work that Brazilian artist Paulo Nimer Pjota is making right now—more of which can be seen at his successful exhibition currently on view at Mendes Wood DM in Tribeca. In this layered and subtly complex work, Pjota delights us with an enlivened painting that walks the line between the past and present. Elements are simultaneously studied and spontaneous, serious and playful in a curious amalgamation of art historical themes such as surrealism, color-field painting and still life. One cannot escape the reference to Matisse’s Harmony in Red, where here, too, space is seemingly both real and imagined. Often juxtaposing characters, vessels and gourds drawn from pre-Columbian, African and classical Greek art with cartoons, superheroes and graffiti tags collected from contemporary life, Pjota’s work grapples with understanding human expression in an age where we are inundated with images and information.” Laura Solomon
Rose B Simpson, Heights I, 2022
Patinated bronze and wire, 215.9 × 40.6 × 24.1 cm. Presented by Jessica Silverman. $300,000
“I am looking forward to seeing Rose B. Simpson’s bronze sculpture Heights I on Jessica Silverman’s booth. It is an exciting time for the artist, who was recently included in group exhibitions at MASS MoCA and the Hood Museum, Dartmouth, as well as a solo exhibition at the ICA Boston where the ceramic original of this sculpture was displayed. The deep, vacant eyes of this androgynous figure seem to embody a deep ancestral wisdom, reinforced by their unwavering stance. Heights I incorporates a totemic appendage upon the figure’s head—perhaps a metaphysical attribute of spiritual ascension that links us to the past. Simpson’s figure began as a ceramic, so the intimate gestures of the artist’s hand are present in the bronze casting, which I love! I can’t wait for Simpson’s future endeavors, which include participation in next month’s Whitney Biennial curated by Chrissie Iles with Min Sun Jeon and Beatriz Cifuentes.” Anne Bruder
Alma Thomas, Untitled, c.1968
Acrylic on canvas, 99.1 × 35.6 cm. Presented by Michael Rosenfeld Gallery. $1m or above
“Alma Thomas’s Untitled acrylic on canvas is a glorious example of her work. Her love of nature is celebrated and on full display. Her supreme mastery is evident in each brushstroke. This shimmering composition is an explosion of color. The fractals of ultramarine blue and violet unite the warm tones on the left and the cooler tones on the right. The lyrical composition and fluidity of the water-based paint allow for numerous hues of each color. The pattern is reminiscent of the phenomenon that we observe in nature, like the reflection of light on water.” Nancy Chaikin
About The Association of Professional Art Advisors (APAA)
The Association of Professional Art Advisors is a nonprofit membership organization of the world’s leading art advisors, curators and corporate art curators. With more than 180 independent art advisors from 35 international cities practicing in multiple areas of specialization, the APAA’s membership of well-established professionals has a wide range of experience and expertise in their chosen fields. Founded in 1980, the APAA is the only standard-setting organization for the practice of art advisory and is dedicated to promoting standards of connoisseurship, scholarship and ethical practice in the profession, and to increasing public awareness of the role and responsibilities of reputable art advisors.
About Frieze Viewing Room
Open to all from February 22–March 8, Frieze Viewing Room is the online catalog for Frieze Los Angeles 2024, offering visitors a preview of the wealth of gallery presentations at the fair, as well as the chance for audiences around the world to connect with galleries and acquire artworks.
Further Information
Frieze Los Angeles is at Santa Monica Airport, February 29–March 3, 2024.
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Main image: Whitney Bedford, Veduta (Vulliard Jardins Publics), 2023-24. Nine oil and ink on hybrid panels, 214.63 x 852.93 x 5.08 cm overall. Courtesy of the artist and Vielmetter Los Angeles; photo by Evan Bedford
