What could be a better way to spend an evening in October than with Gabba Gallery’s Wishlist 11? It’s a delicious invitation, and you don’t have to wish on the first evening star to attend. Featuring more than 75 artists working locally, nationally, and internationally, this annual and always- anticipated group exhibition offers a full range of art mediums at accessible prices.
The ever-changing exhibition will vary throughout its opening night and throughout the run of the show. When an artwork is purchased, the gallery removes it so that the collector can take it home, and a new piece is hung in its place. Not only does this make for an evolving and lively evening, but each subsequent visit to the gallery provides a new experience. Curated by gallerists Jason Ostro and Elena Jacobson, this year’s stellar art roster includes:
Alex Achaval
Douglas Alvarez
Donna Bates
Cody Bayne
Terri Berman
Andrea Bogdan
Nicholas Bonamy
Nicole Bruckman
CANTSTOPGOODBOY
Kate Carvellas
R.B. Cole
L. Crosky
Matt Dey
Jackson Dryden
Emek
Fin
Jaq Frost
Gadget
Frank Gentile
Peter Greco
Patrick Haemmerlein
Mary Hanson
Shlome J. Hayun
Hero
Bruce Horan
Cyrus Howlett
Iskar
Warren Jacobson
JSpot Jr.
Nagisa Kamae
Ahmed Khoko
Konecki
Jennifer Korsen
Hope Kroll
KrossD
Andrea LaHue
Margaret Larabel
Taylor Marvenko
Jason Mascow
Nichole McDaniel
Bobby Moore
Morley
Scott Moss
MRSN
Jules Muck
Jeremy Novy
Jason Ostro
Judy Ostro
Isaac Pelayo
Phobik
Olga Ponomarenko
Dave Pressler
Christina Ramos
Jermaine Rogers
Ricky Sencion
Jeffrey Sklan
Bisco Smith
Jawsh Smyth
Nicolette Spear
Marq Spusta
Matthew Steidley
Sarah Stone
Sonya Stone
David Swartz
Teachr
Jordan K. Valdez
Shawn Waco
Em Wafer
Sébastien Walker
Sya Warfield
Christine Webb
Pastey Whyte
Caleb Williamson
Jared Yamahata
Essi Zimm
and others to be announced…
Along with this event marking 11 Wishlist events, it also stands as the gallery’s 11th year, at an extremely special and changing time for Gabba’s current location.
According to gallerist Jason Ostro, when the gallery began, the neighborhood was a bit uneven at best. Today “[There is a sense of] community, beautiful art where there was once a lot of trash in the alleys.” He adds that over the years, conducting art tours, getting to see so many artists creating exhibitions with Gabba, and playing a part in advancing the art careers of talented creators, have been among the highlights in this incarnation of the gallery. “So many amazing artists have careers only in art now,” he notes.
So why these elegaic notes? Gabba is moving. “The gallery has borught joy, community, beautiful art, amazing conversations and inspiration for [our] neighbors, and so much love to us. We love our neighborhood here, and really are so sad to have to leave it,” Ostro relates.
Yes, Gabba is currently looking for a new home. “We don’t know where we’re going yet, but we are looking all over LA to find a fun new home,” he reports. And wherever that ends up being, one thing is certain, you can make a “wish list” on Gabba – to achieve the same kinds of community, happiness, and cool opening events the gallery has been known for from the start.
As to Wishlist itself, he describes the annual holiday show as “a buy and take show that constantly gets recurated with every piece sold. A new piece takes the place of the piece that sold.. Everything is affordable as far as art goes and it’s first come and buy for the person who takes it home.” The fast-paced, engaging exhibition also offers amazing deals because the contributing artists know this is a special holiday show.
The yearly show is a rich part of the art community that Ostro loves, and which he notes “has supported us for the past 11 years… some of the happiest days of my life. Seeing so much creativity and love for expression is so beautiful and keeps us going,” he attests. “Wishlist is a show we feel gives back to the collectors and also helps new collectors start colllecting. Why spend money on something mass produced, when you can have the original for not much more?”
Ostro asserts that “Art is something that is shared and loved and bought as gifts for oneself and others. Wishlist and Gabba together are perfect for that. We always try to have something for everyone,” he says.
Several days after the opening, the gallery will also offer an online print archive sale and the online sale of any of the original work that is still available.
For now, the gallerist describes himself and Jacobson as being “thankful for our art community. We would not be here after 11 years without them. We’ve all supported and trusted each other, and in some ways, Gabba has felt like a community center for me. Having some of the same patrons for the past 11 years means so much to us.”
As to the exhibition space itself, according to Ostro, “Gabba is and always has been something special, a labor of love. Something that we wanted to always be fair and honest and supportive of our artists. In the past 11 years, we’ve gotten to support so many beautiful creative souls. We wish we could stay here as it’s [been] home, but we’re very excited for whatever the next chapter of Gabba Gallery is. Stay tuned because we hope to keep the magic in the air.”
Undoubtedly, that will be the case.
And in the meantime, plan to attend this weekend’s show, or visit the gallery during the exhibition’s run for a fond and fun farewell. Wish List 11 opens Saturday, October 21st, running 6 to 10 p.m. with DJ and complimentary beverages; the exhibition, located 3126 Beverly in Fillipinotown mid-city, appropriately enough, closes November 11th. Don’t miss!
- Genie Davis; photos provided by the gallery
See ya there! Lovely, touching article,
While I’m looking forward to the next iteration, I’ll miss all the fun of the present one, even the parking waits, where we’d often meet and talk with other gallery goers.
I love that idea of a revolving show. I think the “fixed” show model is really changing. Gabba Gallery was always a fun place to visit–hope he has the same success in his new home!
me too!