UPDATE: The UCLA Hammer Museum has just opened the highly anticipated Made in L.A. biennial, showcasing an urgent collection of works from 28 artists deeply connected to Los Angeles. This year’s exhibition, which opened today, features no specific title or theme, allowing the interconnected nature of the art to take center stage.
Curators Essence Harden and Paulina Pobocha aim to reflect the complexities of Los Angeles, shaped by the recent pandemic. During a preview event, Harden explained that the exhibition is designed to highlight the overlaps among artists’ works, suggesting that “there’s a place in this Venn diagram where every artist overlaps in terms of their interest.”
The exhibition features a diverse array of artworks—from glossy Pop Art sculptures by Pat O’Neill to cinder block murals by Patrick Martinez, and thought-provoking interactive pieces by Gabriela Ruiz. Each piece serves as a commentary on the experience of living in Los Angeles, particularly its impact on marginalized communities. Ruiz’s interactive painting addresses the pervasive surveillance in Black and brown neighborhoods, emphasizing the pressing social issues that resonate throughout the city.
Harden and Pobocha’s concept challenges traditional exhibition formats by avoiding single-artist galleries. Instead, they juxtapose different styles and historical references to foster a dialogue among the works. “So much of this work is about Los Angeles,” Pobocha emphasized. “It’s about engagement with the city itself and its impact on artists and communities.”
Notably, the exhibition pays tribute to the late Alonzo Davis, whose mural “Eye on ’84” was recreated for this event. Originally painted for the 1984 Olympics, Davis’s work serves as a reminder of the city’s complex history and its ability to unify rather than divide. Harden remarked, “For L.A., that means the freeways. But the freeways also created all kinds of underclasses, affecting many people of color and working-class individuals.”
The exhibition includes a poignant quote from renowned Beat poet Jack Kerouac: “L.A. is the loneliest and most brutal of American cities.” This statement echoes the common critiques of Los Angeles but also serves as a foundation for the curators’ goal of redefining perceptions of the city. Pobocha noted, “If you don’t live in Los Angeles, you might think that there’s no community and that everything is fractured.”
As visitors explore the galleries, they will encounter works that illustrate the deep-rooted connections among the city’s artists, challenging the notion of isolation. The curators emphasize that participation in the exhibition is not limited to native Angelenos; artists from around the globe can contribute to the city’s rich artistic tapestry.
The Made in L.A. 2025 exhibition serves as a celebration of artistic expression and community resilience, inviting audiences to engage with the ongoing narrative of Los Angeles. With the event officially launched today, art enthusiasts and community members alike are encouraged to experience the vivid, interconnected stories told through the lenses of these talented artists.
As the exhibition unfolds, expect new discussions and insights about Los Angeles’s cultural landscape, inviting reflection on the city’s past and its future. This event is not just an art exhibition; it’s a movement toward understanding and celebrating the complexities of life in one of the world’s most dynamic cities.