The article is a review of fall art openings in Los Angeles, written by Juliana Halpert for her Critics’ Table debut. Halpert surveys a range of exhibitions, including Calvin Marcus's show at Karma, Stanya Kahn's solo presentation, the Hammer Museum's "Made in L.A." biennial and its scrappier counterpart "Made in HelLA," Josh Smith's grim reaper paintings at David Zwirner, and Adam Alessi's show at Hoffman Donahue. She also recounts attending the Poetic Research Bureau's 25th anniversary party and fundraiser at 2220 Arts + Archives, where musician Jack Skelley performed. The review weaves a thematic thread of mortality and the macabre, noting how many shows this season engage with death, from fake blood and skulls to sinister landscapes.
This review matters because it captures the zeitgeist of the Los Angeles art scene during a concentrated fall season, offering a critic's on-the-ground perspective on both major institutional shows and smaller gallery presentations. By highlighting the recurring motif of death across diverse venues—from the Hammer's biennial to commercial galleries like Karma and David Zwirner—Halpert provides insight into contemporary artistic preoccupations and the mood of the local art world. The piece also underscores the role of critics in mapping and contextualizing the sprawling landscape of LA's art openings, especially through platforms like the See Saw app and the Critics' Table hashtag.