Once upon a time, a walk down Fairfax Avenue yielded a line-up of antique Judaica shops and bakeries, a stream of rock-and-roll luminaries composing their LA debut at the Kibitz Room, and a tangled, hodge-podge of Hebrew, Farsi, Russian, Arabic, and Yiddish chatter among the post-war immigrant population making their rounds at the open-air stalls. Today, the backdrop of this once old-world street has evolved into the epicenter of skate-punk loitering, Supreme x Nike SB collabs, and OFWGKTA-sponsored palm tree arson.
Just beyond the foot traffic and the sanctimonious pledges of cool, tucked away behind a lush, ivy-coated patio and modern French doors, lies the hidden gem that is Martha Otero Gallery. Since 2008, Otero has been curating a finely tuned palate of unique talent, carefully selecting artists through an extensive network she has developed over the years. Between Jacob Hashimoto’s three-dimensional kite installations, Tim Biskup’s whimsically weird, geometric canvases, and Pedro Matos’ multilayered and ephemeral paintings, Otero’s instinct is ahead of the curve, carefully cultivating a new generation of artistic whiz kids.
READ THE FULL FEATURE PIECE ON MARTHA OTERO GALLERY HERE.