Frieze Los Angeles has announced its 2025 public art program, titled "Body & Soul," developed in partnership with the Art Production Fund. Seven Los Angeles-based artists—including Patrick Martinez, Amanda Ross-Ho, Kelly Wall, Shana Hoehn, Polly Borland, Dan John Anderson, and Cosmas & Damian Brown—will present site-specific installations outside the fair's main venue at Santa Monica Airport. Works include a neon billboard by Martinez addressing ICE raids, a durational performance by Ross-Ho rolling a giant inflatable Earth, and a resurrected newsstand by Wall filled with disappearing glass magazines. The program also features youth art workshops and three prizes for emerging artists.
This year's public program matters because it directly responds to Los Angeles's current social and political climate, including the aftermath of wildfires and ongoing ICE raids that have created widespread fear. By commissioning works that explore themes of collective care, memory, and the human body, Frieze and the Art Production Fund are positioning the fair as more than a commercial event—they are using art to foster community dialogue and visibility for marginalized groups. The program underscores a growing trend among major art fairs to engage local audiences beyond the VIP tent, making contemporary art accessible to a broader public while addressing urgent social issues.