New Voices and temporary public art arrive in Santa Monica through Frieze Los Angeles
February 26, 2026 12:24 PM
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Feb. 26, 2026) — A jury panel has selected Los Angeles-based artist Erica Mahinay’s artwork "Unfetter (Blue Gaze)", 2025 to be added to the Santa Monica municipal Art Bank collection through a special partnership between the city of Santa Monica and the Frieze Los Angeles art fair, running Feb. 26 through March 1 at the Santa Monica Airport.
Selected from the fair’s Focus section, which exclusively features new voices and emerging galleries that have been operating for twelve years or less, "Unfetter (Blue Gaze)," 2025 is oil on linen, 72 x 60 inches, and from the Los Angeles-based contemporary gallery Make Room. Focus was curated for a third year by Essence Harden, who recently curated the Hammer Museum’s acclaimed “Made in LA” exhibit in 2025 and is set to curate Expo Chicago later this spring.
The jury panel selecting the acquired work included Santa Monica Arts Commission representative Marla C. Berns; The Brick Deputy Director & Curator Catherine Taft; and Frieze Director of Americas Christine Messineo. The acquisition and partnership underscore Santa Monica’s long-standing commitment to supporting artists and investing in the creative economy as a vital driver of cultural and economic vitality.
“Creativity lies at the heart of Santa Monica’s identity and is vital to the strength of our local economy,” Mayor Caroline Torosis said. “Our artists, designers and cultural leaders shape the spirit of this city, draw visitors from around the world, and spark innovation across industries. Through our partnership with Frieze, we are not only positioning Santa Monica on the global art stage but also deepening our commitment to championing emerging talent and ensuring the arts remain a vibrant, enduring pillar of our community.”
In addition to the Art Bank acquisition, the city of Santa Monica has worked with Frieze over the four years of their ongoing partnership to bring large scale and site-specific artwork for public view.
The temporary public artwork displayed outdoors at or near Santa Monica Airport Park Feb. 26 through March 1 includes:
- Cosmas & Damian Brown’s Fountain: Sources of Light (2026) - Incense drifts from six ceramic heads while water spills into a basin of movable metal vessels, allowing visitors to shape the sound and rhythm. Artwork from local youth will be incorporated into the installation, supported by the city’s Art of Recovery grants program.
- Amanda Ross Ho’s Untitled Orbit (MANUAL MODE) (2026)
- Shana Hoehn’s Deadfall (2026) - sculpture made from a tree sourced through the Santa Monica Urban Forest program.
- Kohshin Finley’s ...and someone was playing the piano, right? (2026)
- Dan John Anderson’s Threshold (2025) and Terra Seer (2025)
- Polly Borland’s BOD (2023)
- Kelly Wall’s installation Everything Must Go (2026) - Wall transforms found newspaper boxes into lightbox displays for her glass publication. On view at the Frieze entrance outside the entry plaza.
More about Frieze Los Angeles in Santa Monica at frieze.com/fairs/frieze-los-angeles. View the full city of Santa Monica Art Bank collection at publicartarchive.org/search/collections/Santa-Monica-Art-Bank.
Media Contact
Tati Simonian
Public Information Officer
Tati.Simonian@santamonica.gov