The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel was buzzing on the opening day of the Felix Art Fair as visitors floated through the hallways, carrying cocktails from the pool bar. The ambiance felt quintessentially Los Angeles. The fair occupied three floors of the historic hotel, including the cool cabanas around the pool area.
It showcased an impressive array of artworks from around 60 galleries, with 30 of them making their debut at the event. Despite the wildfires earlier in the year, Felix Art Fair committed to proceeding. “We had our intuition that there was enough time between the fires and the fair,” said Mills Morán, one of Felix’s founders.
“Everybody needed a little more support—including handlers, collectors, artists, and fabricators. Everyone wanted to get back to work.”
By the end of the VIP preview, sales appeared robust. Jeanine Brito’s striking painting, “Costume Department (2024),” was a standout in Nicodim’s room.
It showcased a meticulously detailed portrait of a nude woman in clown makeup. Another highlight was Socko’s small, round paintings.
Felix showcases ceramincs and paintings
They depicted 100 well-known artists in a playful, cartoon style. Each was priced at $2,500, with about 45 sold by the midpoint of the preview. Ceramics were notably ubiquitous at the fair.
New York-based dealer Charles Moffett’s cabana featured vibrant ceramic works by Bari Ziperstein, who is well known in Los Angeles. Two of her vessels, infused with Vienna Secession-inspired designs, sold for $14,000 and $18,000, respectively. Moffett also moved multiple paintings by Hopie Hill and Maggie Ellis, priced between $5,000 and $18,000.
In the garden area, the Tierra del Sol gallery featured works by Angel Rodriguez, an artist with disabilities. His ceramics and paintings ranged from $400 to $2,500. His small paintings garnered significant attention, though his ceramic pieces depicting sports arenas remained available.
On the hotel’s upper floors, Albertz Benda showcased ceramic pieces by Tony Marsh, Sharif Bey, and Tanya Aguiñiga. Marsh’s exquisitely perforated white ceramics, priced between $8,000 and $25,000, were completely sold out by the end of the preview day. Kate Moger, the gallery’s associate director, noted a “growing excitement for the medium, with interest on par with paintings from collectors and curators alike.”
The early success of Felix Art Fair in Los Angeles speaks to the resilience and enthusiasm of the art community, regardless of recent challenges.