By turning the traditional museum model into a multimedia creative practice, SMAM invites visitors to engage with and celebrate the creative process of artists
The newly opened Santa Monica Art Museum (SMAM) is the latest addition to the art ecosystem of Los Angeles, offering an ongoing physical exhibition of artists working on the West Coast, VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality) exhibitions, and a plethora of panel discussions and events during Frieze Week Los Angeles.
After discovering and collecting artist Gretchen Andrew’s work, museum director Christoph Rahofer invited her to help create SMAM. Described as an “artist museum,” SMAM opened in December 2022 on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica at the crossroads of traditional presentations of art and immersive experiences made possible by advancements in new media and creative partnerships. SMAM has developed partnerships with Aubrie Wienholt, founder of global creative agency and art house PR For Artists, exhibition co-curator Tom Venditti, GAZELL.iO, Vortic, SuperRare, bitforms gallery, and many others for the museum’s programming throughout Frieze Week.
You can learn more about the Santa Monica Art Museum by visiting their website here and more about how to RSVP to their Frieze Week programming here.

Looking West
The museum’s inaugural exhibition, Looking West, features a diverse array of work from both emerging and established artists working on the West Coast. Together these artists juxtapose, contradict, and celebrate the complexities of California as an idea and place, adding an evolving and important regional voice to the conversation about contemporary art during Frieze Week.
Artists include: renowned British-American artist Russell Young, presenting selections of silk screen paintings from several of his iconic series; Gretchen Andrew’s mixed media Vision Boards; Joachim Castañeda’s assemblage made from unconventional materials; Daniel Sackheim’s film noir-inspired street photography; and Lindsey Price’s surreal collage paintings. Other artists include: Dhiren Dasu, Feldsott, Brett Foraker, Jessica Goehring, Bob Landström, Tom Pazderka, Max Rippon, Nathan See, Philip Vaughan, Tatiana Wills, and Jody Zellen.

VR (Virtual Reality) Exhibitions
In addition to its physical exhibition, SMAM is showcasing curated VR exhibitions by leaders in the genre GAZELL.iO and Vortic throughout Frieze Week.
GAZELL.iO’s VR Library installations, each pushing the boundaries of the medium and raising probing questions about pressing environmental and societal issues, will be presented in a portfolio format that include VR experiences from GAZELL.iO’s artists: Alison Goodyear, Jocelyn Anquetil & Charles Harrop-Griffith, Armin Kelinger, BRiGHTBLACK, Matteo Zamagni, Matterlurgy, Michael Takeo Magruder, and Shi Zheng.
Vortic Curated is a new project which encourages a symbiotic collaboration between curators, artists and Vortic’s digital platform to create an exceptional programme of exhibitions and artist projects that push the boundaries of a virtual reality viewing experience. Exhibitions will include “Fever Dream” curated by Daria Borisova, featuring the works of 13 international artists; “Tim Stoner: Toil Stories” curated by Louis Blanc-Francard; “What Lies Beneath” curated by Direlia Lazo; and its newest show, “baby hair and afros” (meditations on hair) curated by Alayo Akinkugbe
Friday, February 17, 2023: What is an Art Museum?
Join SMAM for 3 panel discussions about immersive experiences, digital art, and the future of the Santa Monica Art Museum. 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM.
Immersive Art – 2:00 – 2:45 pm
The Santa Monica Museum of Art was created to stand at a crossroads of traditional presentations of art and immersive experience. This panel brings together artists, companies, and programs pushing boundaries in immersive space using VR and AR technologies. Imogen Hare, Gazell.io & Gazelli Art House will discuss the state and the future of immersive art with Vortic VR and artists.
NFTs with Physical Practices – 3:00 – 3:45 pm
Aubrie Wienholt, founder of PR For Artists, artist Russell Young, and Casey Coyle, art advisor at SuperRare, discuss how artists with physical practices navigate the digital art market and what NFTs can offer to empower their careers.
The Future of Art Museums – 4:00 – 4:45 pm
Join the Santa Monica Art Museum for an exciting discussion about the future of the museum with Christoph Rahofer, Corey Madden, Merel van Helsdingen, and Jesse Damiani.
Saturday, February 18, 2023: Crypto Mermaids & Mimosas – Powered by Tezos
Start off your Frieze weekend with the Crypto Mermaids at the Santa Monica Art Museum! Powered by Tezos with support for the NFTuesday community. From 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Crypto Mermaids support crypto education for those who feel isolated from Web3. We are an open community demystifying male-dominated knowledge topics in a fun, female, and approachable way. We will be celebrating with important voices in Web3 feminism and knowledge empowerment.
Mermaids & Mimosa Welcome – 11:00 AM -12:00 PM
Crypto Mermaids support crypto education for those who feel isolated from Web3. We are an open community demystifying male-dominated knowledge topics in a fun, female, and approachable way. We will be celebrating with important voices in Web3 feminism and knowledge empowerment.
Community Formation as a Form of Art and Activism – 1:00 – 1:45 PM
Daniel Kantor, Community Archivist
Cody Edison, NFTuesday Founder
Michael McClure, Blokhaus
Moderated by Mia Stern from Crypto Mermaids.
Expanded.art NFT Feminism – 2:00 – 2:45 PM
Margaret Murphy, Expanded Art
Anika Meier, writer and curator
Ann Hirsch, artist
Gretchen Andrew, artist

Saturday, February 18, 2023: Santa Monica Art Museum Opening Reception + Looking West Afterparty at 1212
Saturday, Feb. 18th, 5:00 – 9:00 PM at SMAM and 9:00 PM onward at 112 Santa Monica.
From 5:00 – 9:00 PM, join us at the Santa Monica Art Museum to celebrate the new museum’s opening to the public with its inaugural contemporary fine art exhibition Looking West. There will be complimentary wine and spirits.
At 9:00 PM, visitors will walk across the promenade to the Looking West Afterparty hosted by 1212 Santa Monica to continue the celebrations.