A Curator's Memoir of the Los Angeles Art Scene: From Culver City to Perrotin
In a personal essay, an art dealer from Los Angeles reflects on his twenty-year journey through the city's art scene, starting with a position in 2007 at the now-closed Kim Light/LightBox and progressing to his current role as Senior Director at Perrotin. During his time at Kim Light/LightBox, he contributed to "The Early 90s" exhibition, which showcased artists like Kim Dingle, Anya Gallaccio, and Monica Majoli, even seeking blood from kosher delis for Gallaccio's work. He shares memorable experiences and mentions renowned artists such as John Baldessari and Ed Ruscha. At Perrotin, he organized "SUMMERLOVE SENSATION," attracting more than 800 visitors. The essay contrasts the current stable art landscape with ongoing societal instability, alluding to a federal military invasion and global issues.
Key facts
- The essay is set in Los Angeles and spans from 2007 to 2026.
- The author worked at Kim Light/LightBox in Culver City, which is now defunct.
- The exhibition "The Early 90s" celebrated the gallery's previous incarnation and included artists Kim Dingle, Anya Gallaccio, and Monica Majoli.
- For an Anya Gallaccio piece, the author tried to obtain blood from kosher delis.
- The author is currently a Senior Director at Perrotin in Mid-City, Los Angeles.
- He curated his first exhibition at Perrotin, "SUMMERLOVE SENSATION," which had over 800 attendees at its opening.
- Isabelle Albuquerque's sculpture To be the wood, to be the water, to be with you (2026) was placed directly on the floor and sold to a collector for a public art space in Culver City.
- The essay references a federal military invasion of Los Angeles a year prior and fires less than two years ago, as well as foreign wars, tariffs, and geopolitical unrest.
Entities
Artists
- Dorothy Parker
- Kim Dingle
- Anya Gallaccio
- Monica Majoli
- Jeff Poe
- Tim Blum
- Nick McCarthy
- John Baldessari
- Ed Ruscha
- Raymond Pettibon
- Lita Albuquerque
- Kirk Nelson
- Analia Saban
- Frohawk Two Feathers
- Umar Rashid
- Dash Snow
- Gregg Araki
- Keith Boadwee
- Isabelle Albuquerque
Institutions
- Kim Light/LightBox
- Franz Ferdinand
- Blum and Poe
- UCLA
- Taylor DeCordoba
- Peres Projects
- Gagosian
- Nicodim
- Perrotin
- Artillery Magazine
Locations
- Los Angeles
- United States
- Culver City
- La Cienega
- Chinatown
- Beverly Hills
- Arts District
- Mid-City
- Malibu