Founded five years ago by collector Dean Valentine and dealers Al and Mills Morán, Felix L.A. has gained a reputation for being a more relaxed and intimate fair than Frieze L.A., which runs at the same time.
“The fair was always founded on the premise that there needed to be an art fair that was really about the art, in a low-pressure setting, or a fun setting, to take away some of that shopping mall feeling of the larger art fairs,” Valentine told ARTnews. “Our goal was never to be just another fair to have at the same time as Frieze. We wanted it to be an experience.”
But when Frieze L.A. announced that it would move to the Santa Monica Airport for its 2023 edition, it was unclear if Felix would also head to the city’s Westside. That won’t be the case, as Felix will once again return to the iconic Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.