Have you ever walked into a room that completely took your breath away? Well, you may want to bring a can of oxygen to see these galleries. With square footage big and small, these galleries are showing incredible artwork in architectural spaces that will make you wonder– which is more artful, the artwork on the walls or the building itself?
David Kordansky
Established in 2003, the David Kordansky gallery is dedicated to fostering a greater understanding of Los Angeles as an art capital. Located in Mid-City, David Kordansky operates a massive 20,000 square foot campus with three stunning exhibition spaces across two buildings. The campus is connected by a gorgeous courtyard which hosts outdoor sculpture installations, performances, and films. Openings at the gallery are highly anticipated by art lovers around the city-- fans and collectors pack in like sardines just for a glimpse of the new artworks on view.
Gagosian at the Marciano Art Foundation
The Marciano Art Foundation museum/gallery conglomerate is housed in the grand, former Scottish Rite Masonic Temple, a monumental, white-pillared structure on Wilshire Boulevard. It features a gorgeous, low-lit, 13,000 square foot gallery on its ground floor with echoing, vaulted ceilings where the Gagosian is currently staging eye-popping exhibitions. The permanent collection on the upper floors is also impressive.
Nino Mier
Nino Mier gallery is located across three neighboring buildings on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood. Their exhibitions focus on world class paintings, but equally engaging are the galleries’ unique building facades – including an old-fashioned, light-up movie theater marquee displaying the changing names of their artists and shows.
Institute of Contemporary Art Los Angeles (ICA LA)
Originally founded in 1988 as the Santa Monica Museum of Art, the Institute of Contemporary Art Los Angeles (ICA LA) renamed itself and moved downtown in 2017. ICA LA has built upon a rich history of bold curation that illuminates untold stories in contemporary art and culture. Their exhibitions engage with activism, asking hard-hitting questions of the visitor. All in a gorgeous 12,700 square foot industrial building designed by famed architect group WHY, led by architect Kulapat Yantrasast.
Lisson Gallery
The Lisson Gallery just opened an LA location in Hollywood’s ever-so-fashionable Sycamore District. The gallery is a standalone two-story building, previously home to a gay nightclub called ‘The Zone.’ Artistic energy from its interesting roster of international artists pours from the surrounding area into the space. While on Sycamore, stop for a snack at Mizlala, Sightglass Coffee, Tartine, or Gigi’s.
Francois Ghebaly
The Francois Ghebaly’s galleries are housed in 1940s-era buildings with classic brick facades. The unassuming industrial brick exteriors contrast the pristine gallery inside– these spaces are definitively cool. Ghebaly’s curation philosophy encourages the inclusion of artwork across all media and fostering progressive practices of its impressive roster of contemporary artists. Neighboring the Night Gallery in DTLA, and Jeffrey Deitch and Nino Mier in Hollywood, Ghebaly outposts are amidst the city’s buzziest artistic hubs.
Nicodim
Located in a massive warehouse space in Boyle Heights, Nicodim boasts three floors of light-filled exhibition space. Their neighbor in the warehouse is Vielmetter Gallery. An opening at Nicodim is chaotic and wonderful-- visitors can stream through their hallways, popping in and out of the exhibition spaces lining either side. A space as vast as this one is rare in the world of art galleries. They have the room to stage incredible shows and feature exhibitions of all artistic media. Everything from paintings sprawled across the gallery walls to sculptures at such a large scale that it makes you wonder, how did they even manage to get that in here?