Olivia Barrett, co-founder of the Los Angeles gallery Château Shatto, is pivoting her business strategy to navigate a cooling art market and a post-boom landscape in Southern California. After moving to the Melrose Hill art corridor, Barrett is shifting away from the high-velocity art fair model to focus on a more curated, historical program. This includes integrating 20th-century estates and secondary-market works from artists like Alice Rahon and Emily Kam Kngwarray alongside contemporary voices like Aria Dean.
This shift reflects a broader trend among mid-tier galleries seeking stability by diversifying their rosters with established estates as the 'ultra-contemporary' speculative market slows down. Barrett’s approach—reducing the number of fairs and implementing rotating booth presentations at Frieze Los Angeles—highlights how independent dealers are rethinking the traditional gallery model to maintain a distinct point of view while managing the financial risks of a contracting global market.