The Julia Stoschek Collection has made its United States debut with a sprawling exhibition titled "What a Wonderful World: An Audiovisual Poem," staged at the historic Variety Arts Theater in Los Angeles. Curated by Udo Kittelmann, the presentation features 45 time-based media works by a high-profile roster of artists including Marina Abramović, Arthur Jafa, and Anne Imhof, alongside early cinema classics. Eschewing traditional "white cube" gallery aesthetics, the show utilizes the dilapidated grandeur of the six-story theater, allowing for overlapping soundtracks and non-linear viewing experiences.
This exhibition is significant as it marks the first major American presentation of one of the world's most important private collections of time-based media. By timing the opening with Frieze Los Angeles and utilizing a non-traditional, late-night format, the project challenges conventional museum standards for displaying video art. It also highlights the growing trend of private foundations staging ambitious, site-specific pop-up exhibitions in historic urban landmarks to engage with global art fair audiences.