Artist Interviews 2025

L.A Art Rises from the Ashes
By Julia Siedenburg



LA’s creatives have risen from the ashes – sadly, quite literally. Our beautiful town and communities have had an incredibly difficult start to the new year when multiple wildfires broke out in January and wiped out entire neighborhoods. Artists and others lost their work, their collections, their homes, and their family heirlooms. From paintings and drawings stored at home to whole collections featured in art galleries waiting to be purchased, many important pieces were lost. Rumor has it that even artworks worth millions that you normally only get to see from a distance in a museum and were created by the most renowned artists are lost forever. For two weeks, the whole city stood still.




Saying that Angelinos have been through a lot would be an understatement. We have been through hell and back. But to the surprise of some disbelievers and ill-wishers, the community is stronger than ever. Everyone donated what they had and dedicated their free time to support those who had nothing left. Firefighters, volunteers, and civilians from all over California, the US, and even the world did what they could to make the loss and transition a little more bearable. I dare to say that rarely before have you felt so much pain and so much love at the same time; at least for me, that is the truth! We lost people, we lost historic Los Angeles gems, schools, and neighborhood favorites. We all know someone who was affected, and we are all grieving that the places that held so many memories and have been around for so long suddenly disappeared from one moment to the next. It will take a long time to heal and a lot of time to rebuild, but what we know from the past few months is that we are all in this together; help is always there when you need it. Nothing can break this community apart – whether it be natural disasters or political figures.



Once we had won the fight and the fires were no longer raging through the neighborhoods, the city took a breather, but never once did anyone give up. The brave firefighters and volunteers are still being celebrated and honored two months later. They will never be forgotten for their selfless task – for keeping us safe. Music venues, art lofts, and more were turned into fire relief fundraising facilities. Whether it was benefit concerts, shows by local photographers, or dedicated LA merch, people everywhere tried to raise some money to show their support. And then, in February, we got our much-needed week of Art Shows and Fairs: LA’s longest-running art fair that celebrated its 30th Anniversary, the Felix at the Hollywood Roosevelt; The Other Art Fair; and the international art fair Frieze, took place on the week of the 10th. It was a week of inspiration, education, and, most importantly, celebration.

Let me start by telling you what I saw at The Other Art Fair :
This time, 140 + artists from around the globe, as well as many locals, showcased their work at a space in Atwater Village. Right as you entered the space, two things immediately got my attention: first was “The Portal to Dreams” installment at the entrance booth, which was curated by Mary Lai. Mary featured her works alongside Richard Ankrom and Yoon Chang; all dedicated to “the City of Angeles that magically came to life” Colorful and moving paintings under a freeway sign leading you to Paradise.



Secondly, a piece of fence that reads “For Los Angeles” above it. The fence was covered with colorful little ribbons, each having a dream or wish written upon it. These beautiful and hopeful pieces gave me a sense of calmness and right off the bat put a smile on my face. “Inspired by the Japanese tradition of Omikuji, visitors are welcome to enter and write down their dreams and tie them to a fence. This dreamy installation will include works from Richard Ankrom, Yoon Chang, and Mary Lai. Each piece has a compelling story and invites viewers to enjoy this moment of paradise that reminds us how resilient the Los Angeles creative community is and to keep dreaming.” – the Other Art Fair Website.



On the other side of the entrance, a big mural caught my eye. The title is “The Great Wall of Los Angeles”; Judy Baca’s latest mural was on display which captured the power of the 1968 East La Walkouts – which we saw being repeated at all big LA school campuses when students demonstrated against the current political leadership and discriminatory cases that are happening all over the country. It is a powerful reminder that since the ‘60s to the present day, the students in this city were never afraid to stand up (and walk out) to make clear what they believed in and what they stood against. The people of Los Angeles, may they be young or old, will always fight for what they believe in; a true force to be reckoned with. There is always strength in groups! Judy Baca created this piece in collaboration with the Social and Public Art Resource Center (SPARC). It was a reproduction specially for exhibition at the Fair. 



“Measuring 10 feet tall and 22 feet wide, “The 1968 East L.A. Student Walkouts” depicts the historic stand Chicanx students took against systemic discrimination in education. Like all of Baca’s public art monuments, this mural reflects the interconnectedness of history, people, and place, emphasizing diverse struggles for rights and community ties to the memory of the land.  The Great Wall of L.A. Ongoing since 1974, this half-mile mural in San Fernando Valley has engaged hundreds of youths and their families, artists, oral historians, and scholars, bringing impactful public art into the daily lives of Los Angeles communities.” – The Other Art Fair



As an effort to give back to those who were affected by the fires, this year’s first The Other Art Fair donated 100% of the ticket proceeds to the L.A. Arts Community Fire Relief Fund. And if that wasn’t already amazing enough, the visitors were also able to buy a selection of artworks donated by Fair exhibitors to support the same L.A. Arts Community Fire Relief Fund. This fund was a Getty-led coalition of major arts organizations and philanthropists providing emergency relief for artists and arts workers impacted by the devastating Los Angeles fires. Both exhibiting artists and The Other Art Fair donated 100% of the proceeds from the sale of these artworks. What a great cause!



Now, you may wonder what I saw at the The LA Art Show . Well, I will tell you:
The LA Art Show, as I mentioned before, celebrated its 30th anniversary (congratulations) and had an amazing and extremely successful 4-day run. 90+ global galleries showcased their favorite pieces and artists. Countries like Ukraine, South Korea, Turkey, and Canada traveled to Los Angeles present their best works. The show was supported by the American Heart Association and California Community Foundation’s Wildlife Recovery Fund. One of the series that touched me the most was “HEROS” by acclaimed and celebrated LA muralist Robert Vargas. During the duration of the multi-day fair, he created a breathtaking mural that showed a firefighter fighting against the flames that were still raging only a few weeks before. He also brought his sketches of the brave first responders and volunteers who were there every day trying to save the people in need.







During the opening party on Wednesday night, LA Art Show Producer & Director Kassandra Voyagis, who Art Squat has interviewed previously, stood alongside members of the LA County Fire Department and first responders on the red carpet; what a beautiful gesture! This town has truly gone all out to make sure the men and women know how thankful we all are for their tireless work. After all, this was sadly not the first fire, and it won’t be the last. Another enormous piece that made me stop and stare was the gorgeous 120-foot-long textile pride flag “previously paraded by more than 100 volunteers during the Long Beach Pride Parade.” It is a colorful masterpiece! Each little square of fabric had a message, a drawing, or a wish written on it. This was only one of DIVERSEartLA’s triumphs that were exhibited.



One’s artist work was immediately familiar to me. Guillermo Bert, an artist that we have also previously interviewed, showcased some of the sculptures from his “Journey” project. In the back, behind the incredibly detailed statues of people, was a bus stop that had the American Dream written on the side of it. This hit hard now more than ever as the government restricts the immigration system more and more and has begun deporting many people who have come here searching for a better life, calling this place their home. DIVERSEartLA with its curation by Marisa Caichiolo, released an “eight-year retrospective, with each artwork symbolizing a crucial milestone that challenges the status quo, emphasizing the importance of diversity and inclusivity within the arts. Artist Antuan Rodriguez's interactive”. - LA Art Show press release.





In addition, Marisa’s statement was the following: “This exhibition will serve as a grand timeline, showcasing all the projects undertaken by various museums and arts institutions affiliated with our platform. Visitors can look forward to an engaging display that highlights pivotal moments through videos of performances and installations from each year. This retrospective not only honors the creative contributions of our partners but also emphasizes the vibrant evolution of DIVERSE as a vital presence in the art community.” One of the installments that was the most intriguing and dare I say the most fun to interact with was the group of punching bags with each one “portraying world leaders and tyrants, allowing attendees to channel their frustrations, transforming these objects into tools for emotional release.” This exhibit was created by the genius Antuan Rodriguez and is called very fittingly "Left" or "Right".  



There are so many amazing pieces that were presented at this year’s show and it is impossible to mention them all. One last series I do want to talk about though is called “ She, Unbroken”. Exhibited by the SNISARENKO GALLERY (UKRAINE) is a beautiful “homage to Ukrainian-born female artists who have lived through the horrifying experience of war. Through each piece, the artists shared their stories and strengths.”






The LA Art Show is always an overwhelming and joyful ensemble of creativity and talent. It can take quite some time to take everything in and not miss a piece hidden in a booth’s hallway or on the backside of a wall. It is almost like journaling through a labyrinth of art. You never know what you will find behind the next corner. And every time I attend I feel incredibly inspired and educated; as if upon leaving I see the world a little differently.