Jonas Wood at Frieze LA and more…

Many galleries at this year’s Frieze LA require masking and proof of vaccine, but according to Los Angeles Times art critic, Christopher Knight, it’s worth the trip.

Jonas Wood 1977 –

One of the highlights of the show are works by Jonas Wood, particularly the Patterned Interior with Mar Vista View. “Think Matisse on acid in Nice,” Knight writes.

In an interview in January, Wood said that he sometimes finds it difficult to part with a painting. “I always keep a painting or two from every show.” he said, “I really wanted to keep that pattern couch painting [“Patterned Interior with Mar Vista View”]. I lived with that painting for two years, and it was a really joyful experience to live with it in my studio”. A soft ground etching of Patterned Interior with Mar Vista View is available at VFA.

David Hockney 1947 –

The Roosevelt Hotel is one of Los Angeles’ most popular destinations, especially for Frieze LA, complete with a pool that was decorated by David Hockney in 1988. According to the hotel’s website, ” Mr. Hockney came to The Hollywood Roosevelt one beautiful morning in 1988 with a can of blue paint and a 6″ paint brush tied to a broom handle. Over the span of about four hours working at the bottom of the empty pool, he covered it with his signature circular brush strokes.” 

The pool has gone through a restoration and designated an Historic-Cultural Monuments by the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission, which recognizes and protects the city’s most cherished and significant historical resources.

Eddie Martinez 1977

The bold colors, distinct lines and brushstrokes of Eddie Martinez have made his works internationally appreciated and highly sought after. He’s had several shows in Hong Kong and a recent solo exhibit in Shanghai.

Martinez’s large scale paintings are also on display during Frieze LA, where the Brooklyn-based artist continues to use his unique style to create works that combine figurative and expressionist style.

Alex Katz 1927 – present

In 2015, the Guggenheim Bilboa presented a survey of landscapes by Alex Katz that went back to works from the 1980s. Over the course of his long career, the 94-year-old artist has had many, many exhibits around the world, but a retrospective is long overdue.

It is fitting that a retrospective for Katz, a consummate New Yorker, will be presented at the Guggenheim New York. The exhibit will open in October 2022 and run through February 2023.

One of our favorite artists at VFA, in part for his masterful fine art prints, a variety of his works, both print and sculpture, are available in our gallery.

Please contact us if you would like more information about the work of Jonas Wood, David Hockney, Eddie Martinez, Alex Katz or the work any of the other fine artists at VFA.