Los Angeles’s new Hospital of Emotions pop-up gives artists keys to the asylum

The Hospital of Emotions, a new pop-up exhibition in Los Angeles, has transformed the defunct St Vincent Medical Center into a sprawling art experience. Curator Yaara Sachs, founder of House of Art and Dreams, selected around 70 artists through an open call to take over 80 spaces—including examination rooms and operating chambers—in the building, which is slated for renovation into a behavioral health center. Each artist received $4,000 for their project and up to $10,000 for materials. The exhibition is organized into thematic "departments" dedicated to emotional states such as joy, fear, anger, and sadness, aiming to guide visitors toward catharsis. Featured artists include Kamil Cazpiga (Cosmodernism), Guy "Dioz" Bloom, Pablo Thomas, and Napo, among others.