Paramount Studios front Entrance. Photo by Katherine Guimapang

This past weekend, the city of Los Angeles was buzzing with art events; however, the most anticipated event of all was the inaugural edition of Frieze LA. Making its debut in a city famed for the glitz and glamour of the movie industry, the decision to host the event within the Paramount Studios backlot seemed appropriate. Accompanying the historic backlot was Los Angeles' own Kulapat Yantrasast of wHY, who designed the indoor-outdoor art area. Riddled with architectural styles and motifs, Paramount Studios seemed up to the challenge of hosting this event in Los Angeles. But, was architecture merely an accessory to the event or did Frieze LA allow for these structures to shine in their own way? 

Upon its opening on February 14th, visitors were welcomed into the iconic Hollywood production studio where works of art could be viewed and experienced. When traveling through the studio, it was easy to become distracted by the lot's historic buildings and walkways. With bright pink a-framed signs guiding the way, the landmark studio set the tone of anticipation after approaching the main security checkpoint to the backlot. The 5-acre backlot is home to eight distinct city areas, whose facades depict well known architectural styles found in New York, Chicago, and other East Coast cities. Intertwined within these sets are pop-up shops, restaurants, and exhibitions featuring guest artists. 

Frieze took full advantage of Paramount's backlot space as another form of immersive art. Installations were placed thoughtfully throughout the area, allowing the sets to work as stages for the artist's work to "perform." When passing through the brownstone structures and Lower Eastside sets, visitors were encouraged to walk into the buildings and experience these temporary shops in their made-for-TV storefronts. Immediately forgetting you were there for an art fair, it was easy to overlook the main event tent filled with valuable works of art. As the fifth oldest film studio in the world, the Paramount Studios backlot has hosted thousands of movie productions. Successfully hosting an internationally known art fair is another accolade added to the studio's list. 

Navigating through the backlots of Frieze LA, these structural renditions of famous cityscapes allow visitors to take note of architectural details like the large bay windows and arched doorways that often go overlooked. Guests could walk freely through the lot and become transported from one city to the next. Due to the busy nature of several urban cityscapes, having the opportunity to walk through areas and intentionally become present to the built environment is a rare occurrence. Even though this particular built environment is merely a facade used for entertainment, each set was designed to help highlight and persuade the viewer of their built environment.

After leaving the backlot and moving towards the main gallery tent, the environment quickly transformed. Kulapat's indoor-outdoor tent space was a vision in white accented with Frieze's bright pink color signage. To a bystander, the tent resembled a typical event tent found at conferences and outdoor events. However, it wasn't until entering the structure where the details of Kulapat's design come into play. The 3,800 sf entry pavilion was accented with blue-stained plywood walls which mimicked backstage production designs found on the sets of Paramount Studios. The bold color added a stunning contrast to the white walls and tent covering overhead. 

After making it past security, visitors are immediately presented with a layout that dictated no wrong turn. The overall plan did not suggest a specific starting point, allowing for guests to view the gallery booths on their own accord. Along with my colleague, we chose to make our way through the tent in a snake-like pattern which was hard to stick to thanks to the mesmerizing works of art on every corner — the 62,000 sf main tent space allowed for galleries to present their works in semi-intimate spaces. With three large corridors running along the length of the tent, one could hop from one booth to the other without missing a beat. The highlight of the space was the light emitting into the tent. The tent's alternating opaque and translucent ceiling panels allowed for enough natural light to enter through the space without competing with the overhead lighting fixtures. The metal structural frame added an intriguing grid-like view, which complimented the ground floor layout. 

Art is about allowing yourself to see the world in a different way, and that’s why it gives me such amazing joy. When I think about the experience of viewing artworks, my role is really to create this beautiful set of conditions where people and art meet. It’s a lot like being a matchmaker. You’re introducing two friends – one the artist, and the other the art-lover – who didn’t know each other beforehand, and then you step into the background" - Kulapat Yantrasast, wHY

Although the structure wasn't a reinvention of tent design, the simplicity of the layout allowed for multiple vantage points and perspectives within the space. Perhaps this is what was intended by Kulapat and his team at wHY. In a statement given by the architect he explains, “Art is about allowing yourself to see the world in a different way, and that’s why it gives me such amazing joy. When I think about the experience of viewing artworks, my role is really to create this beautiful set of conditions where people and art meet. It’s a lot like being a matchmaker. You’re introducing two friends – one the artist, and the other the art-lover – who didn’t know each other beforehand, and then you step into the background.” 

Like most art fairs and events of this caliber, it is what you make of it. However, the success of Frieze LA was not only due to the tremendous work of artists and collaborators but through the use of materials within a built environment which allowed for architecture to act as a bridge between the art and the art enthusiast.