L.A. Discount Store Becomes Art Gallery
During Frieze Los Angeles 2026, an abandoned 99 Cents Only Store has been transformed into a temporary art gallery. The pop-up space is hosting installations that merge contemporary art, fashion, and community intervention, offering a model for site-specific brand activations.
- The exhibition, titled "99CENT," is a collaboration between artist Barry McGee, the gallery The Hole, and Jeffrey Deitch. It features works by over 120 West Coast artists, including McGee, Sayre Gomez, FriendsWithYou, KATSU, Chito, and Gary Baseman. - The installation is located at 6121 Wilshire Boulevard, just a block away from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), strategically placing it within the Frieze week orbit. The 20,000-square-foot space retains many of its original features, such as signage and worn linoleum floors, creating a stark contrast to the typical white-walled gallery. - Rather than a traditional exhibition, the space has been reimagined as a chaotic "artist flea market," with paintings stacked against old shelves and shopping carts dangling from the ceiling. Purchases are even processed at the store's original registers, complete with a sticker and receipt. - The project is led by Barry McGee, a "tagger-turned-blue-chip artist" known for his roots in the Mission District graffiti scene. The exhibition is seen as a nod to his origins and a celebration of street art and outsider aesthetics. - Programming for the week includes live bands, performances, and an Anti-Fascist Zine Fair, positioning the space as a "community hangout zone" and an "artist healing center." - This activation is part of a larger trend during Frieze Los Angeles of utilizing unconventional and abandoned buildings for art installations. Another nearby pop-up exhibition has taken over a former Sizzler restaurant. - The event is presented as a deliberate "palate cleanser" from the commercialism of the main art fair, emphasizing community and creative process over polished presentation and price tags. It has been dubbed an "anti-fair" and is free to the public. - Fashion and luxury brands have a significant presence during Frieze Los Angeles, often through sponsorships, activations, and artist collaborations, aiming to connect with the high-end consumer base the art fair attracts.
