Into LA Art Show A Choice of Artworks
The La Show of 2025 was the best of its genre that we have seen in years. We noticed a rise in the general quality of the art exhibited.
Poster
The short documentary included here shows the works of a few artists of which we knew nothing about before our visit.
The work that immediately caught my attention was “The Birth of the Niamand,” by Slovak artist Viktor Frešo, presented by the Danubiana Museum in Bratislava, Slovakia. I was also unaware of this institution’s existence. I was lucky to meet Frešo at the site. Although he seemed reclusive, he agreed to make a short statement on camera.
There were other uplifting surprises. “The Journey,” by Guillermo Bert, showed 20 highly detailed, life-sized laser-cut wood sculptures honoring an army of immigrant heroes.
The Journey
The discovery of video sculptures by the Swiss artist Marck reminded me of Bill Viola’s work. Marck’s work is striking, particularly the one named “Black Hair,” which shows a woman whose hair is fuming.
Black Hair
Another surprise were the images created without using a camera through text-to-image AI software. Jerry Weber creates compelling images that hover between abstraction and reality.
Three works by four Argentinean artists were remarkable: a 120-foot long textile that commemorates LGBTQ communities by the duo Leo Chiachio and Daniel Giannone; Cristian Castro’s 27 dee-sea robotic fishes made out of discarded components to remind us of ocean pollution; and Luciana Abait, large-scale “Agua / Water”, a projected waterfall to foster a poetic awareness of water as a sacred resource for humanity, some details of which shows as a background to the credits in my film.
I found creative humor in the work of two artists: Farad Harouni’s “Lips” and Antuan Rodriguez’s interactive installation of punching bags.
Two contrasting artworks in painting were Walter Erra Hubert’s multi-layered abstractions and German artist Anton Hoager’s “Stop Smearing,” a skillfully painted work of social criticism.
Carol Bodlander brings a narrative that blends elements of classical mythology, astronomy, and indigenous wisdom traditions.
Our selection included the Korean artists Han Ho, who made a massive nine-part multi-media panel inspired by Michelangelo’s Last Judgement, and Anese Eun Cho, who created playful designs.
An additional surprise was to meet Marisa Caichiolo, a curator of several of the works exhibited. After a brief conversation, we realized that we have common friends. Caichiolo is the founder of Building Bridges International Art Foundation, conceived to be a platform for critical thinking and researching.
Marisa Caichiolo
