“Puente de plata,” 2024

To achieve hyperrealism in a painting, an artist must display confidence in texture. Without it, the canvas could appear flat, dull, and even uninviting. Artist Antonio Santín has mastered this technique, clearly showing he can paint surfaces so rich it’s as though viewers can reach out and touch them.

Living and working in Madrid, Santín specializes in paintings of ornamental rugs. These works take the artist months to complete, and overflow with microscopic details, bold patterns, and vibrant colors. Though he studies real rugs to understand how they fold, move, and catch light, the designs Santín ultimately paints are derived from his own imagination.

Throughout the past two years, Santín has further honed his technical skills, the result of which is the focus of his seventh solo exhibition at Marc Straus Gallery in New York. The show demonstrates the painter’s ability to reproduce rugs with astonishing accuracy and precision, now accomplished with a new methodology.

“Paint applications measured in millimeters are applied with the assistance of compressors and needles,” Marc Straus, who represents Santín, describes. “He builds layer upon layer.”

When viewed up-close, it becomes clear that Santín’s paintings are, in fact, composed of thousands of tiny dots, swirls, and shapes, meticulously arranged to achieve a harmonious pattern from afar.

The exhibition, titled Puente de Plata or “silver bridge,” is currently on view at Marc Straus Gallery until March 1, 2025. To discover more about the artist, follow Antonio Santín on Instagram.

Artist Antonio Santín specializes in hyperrealistic paintings of ornamental rugs, each replete with microscopic details and bold patterns.

“Momo,” 2024

“Momo,” 2024 (detail)

“Rocamadour,” 2024

“Puente de plata,” 2024 (detail)

Santín achieves this effect with paint applications measured in millimeters, a testament to his precision and patience.

“Victoria,” 2024

“Victoria” (detail)

“Victoria” (detail)

“Carambola”

“Carambola” (detail)

Watch a clip of the painter's incredible process.

 

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Antonio Santín: Puente de Plata at Marc Straus Gallery in New York explores the artist's exceptional technical skill across his rug paintings.

“Rocamadour” (detail)

“Aldealengua,” 2024

“Yuncler,” 2024

Exhibition Information
Antonio Santín
Puente de Plata
January 10, 2025—March 1, 2025
Marc Straus Gallery
57 Walker St., New York, NY 10013

Antonio Santín: Instagram
Marc Straus Gallery: Website | Instagram

My Modern Met received permission to feature images by Marc Straus Gallery.

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READ: Artist Uses Thousands of Dots To Create Intricate and Textural Paintings of Ornamental Rugs

Lying in an endless field of blooming flowers. Wading through a pool teeming with rainbow koi fish. Sinking into a plush floor like it’s a black hole. These are only a few of the experiences offered at teamLab Planets Tokyo.

Since its 2018 launch in Japan, teamLab has curated immersive environments that abstract the boundaries between art and its audience. The art collective's museum encapsulates several large-scale artwork spaces, inviting visitors to participate in unique exercises such as creating a collaborative Pointillist artwork or pushing illuminated spheres to change their color. No matter the conceit, participation is what ultimately activates each artwork.

On January 22, 2025, teamLab Planets Tokyo will open its doors to an expansion that nearly doubles its total area. The Athletics Forest is one of the more ambitious additions, and comprises six separate areas for visitors to explore.

The Caterpillar House, for example, is composed of vibrant spheres that rotate at high speed, but once approached, they become easier to step on. Aerial Climbing similarly encourages physical engagement, featuring horizontal bars of varying colors upon which visitors can climb while suspended in the air.

“Humans perceive the world with their bodies and think with their bodies,” Toshiyuki Inoko, teamLab’s founder, explains in a statement. “We started Athletics Forest with the hopes to enhance three-dimensional and higher-dimensional thinking.”

The expansion also includes the Catching and Collecting Forest, a learning space inspired by the concept of Catch, Study, Release. Extinct animals roam the room’s towering walls, ready to be caught by visitors via a dedicated smartphone app. Once captured, the app provides information about the animal through a collection book and subsequently releases the animal back to the iridescent walls.

TeamLab Planets Tokyo has also incorporated a sketching lab, areas dedicated to collaborative art creation, and two art installations in its expansion. To learn more, visit the teamLab website.

Known for its immersive installations, teamLab Planets Tokyo has recently unveiled an expansion that nearly doubles its total area.

“Balance Stepping Stones in the Invisible World.”

“Beating Earth.”

“Aerial Climbing through a Flock of Colored Birds.”

“Autonomous Abstraction.”

“Sketch Waterfall Droplets.”

The expansion features several new large-scale artwork spaces, including the Athletics Forest and the Catching and Collecting Forest.

“Graffiti Nature.”

“Catching and Collecting Extinct Forest.”

“Existence in the Flow Creates Vortices.”

“Flutter of Butterflies from the Caterpillar House.”

teamLab Planets Tokyo specializes in immersive installations, offering rich and sensory visual experiences.

“Multi Jumping Universe.”

“Nursery Lamps in Spontaneous Order.”

“Rapidly Rotating Bouncing Spheres in the Caterpillar House.”

“Sliding through the Fruit Field.”

“Waterfall Droplets, Flowing Down a Slope.”

teamLab Planets: Website | Instagram

My Modern Met received permission to feature images by teamLab Planets.

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READ: Immersive Tokyo Museum Invites Visitors To Explore Art Through Touch, Play, and Physical Activity

Protesters using thought bubbles on investors and CEOs at a gas industry protest (Philadelphia,2012)
byu/abuzar_sid inpics

In Texas, North Dakota, and Pennsylvania, fracking is a particularly widespread practice. It’s also one that’s been proven to release various harmful chemical compounds, all of which cause leukemia, liver damage, eye, nose, and throat irritation, and headaches. In 2012, these health and environmental concerns were central to a significant Shale Gas Outrage protest.

During the week of September 17, 2012, an annual gas convention descended upon Philadelphia. Shale Gas Outrage took advantage of this moment, leading a rally and march outside the conference. While confronting gas industry executives, some activists brilliantly reimagined the conventional protest sign.

Protestors created thought and speech bubble signs, each containing messages that explicitly condemned the environmental and societal impacts of fracking. As soon as investors, CEOs, and other industry executives walked by the convention center, protestors waved these signs close to their heads.

“I make people sick and I don’t care,” one sign reads. “I get rich, you get sick,” another claims. One even asserts, “I’d rather be rich than raise healthy kids.”

Unlike more traditional signs, these bubbles directly implicated executives in the devastations caused by fracking. Faceless corporations suddenly transformed into a host of influential people, each of whom financially benefited from the gas industry’s attendant hazards.

“That’s creative and peaceful protesting,” one user commented on a Reddit post about the signs.

Over 10 years later, this clever tactic retains its relevance, showcasing the potential of creativity in protests. Even today, these thought and speech bubbles continue to generate awareness about the energy sector and its countless ramifications upon Pennsylvanian communities.

In 2012, during a gas industry convention in Philadelphia, Shale Gas Outrage activists reimagined the traditional protest sign.

 

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Protestors designed speech and thought bubble signs and held them next to gas industry executives to highlight their role in climate and health crises across Pennsylvania.

Each sign contains messages that explicitly condemn the environmental and societal impacts of fracking and the gas industry as a whole.

Sources: Protesters using thought bubbles on investors and CEOs at a gas industry protest (Philadelphia, 2012); Shale Gas Outrage: Organizers See Civil Disobedience on the Horizon; Shale Gas Outrage: Join the rally against fracking

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READ: Activists Use Speech Bubble Signs Highlighting the Role Gas Execs Play in Climate Change & Health Issues

LA Art Show in 2022. (Photo: Wee2022 via Wikimedia Commons, CC 4.0)

As Los Angeles’ largest and longest-running art fair, the LA Art Show (LAAS) has served as a crucial forum for discovering and engaging with thriving art communities around the world. The event encapsulates over 120 galleries, museums, and non-profit arts organizations, and features work across all disciplines, including painting, sculpture, photography, and design.

This year, LAAS is celebrating its 30th anniversary edition from February 19 to 23, 2025, at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Galleries participating in the 2025 fair represent a diverse array of countries, ranging from Türkiye, Korea, and the Netherlands to France, Taiwan, and the United States.

Longtime exhibiting galleries will also be returning to this year’s fair, among them being Arcadia Contemporary in New York, Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery in London, and Copro Gallery in Los Angeles.

Other highlights include Art in Dongsan, a Seoul- and Goyang-based gallery that will present metalwork by Steel Che (Youngkwan Choi). The exhibition’s centerpiece, Steam Robot, unites contemporary sculpture and industrial heritage, offering insight into Korea’s evolving art landscape.

The Los Angeles-based Snisarenko Gallery, on the other hand, will showcase She, Unbroken, a collection of work by Ukrainian artists Inna Kharchuk, Anna Veriki, Liza Zhdanova, and Iryna Maksymova. The exhibition will focus on themes of resilience, courage, and displacement, especially as it relates to the ongoing conflicts in the region.

My Modern Met will be on location during the entirety of the LAAS, cataloging the fair’s exceptional moments. To stay updated on our coverage, be sure to follow us on Instagram, and learn more about the event on the LA Art Show website.

LA Art Show is celebrating its 30th anniversary edition from February 19 to 23, 2025, at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Selection from LE Gallery's 2025 LAAS exhibition. Alexander Calder, “Loops and Spheres,” 1970.

Selection from Casterline Goodman Gallery's 2025 LAAS exhibition. Daniel Yocum.

Selection from Fabrik Projects's 2025 LAAS exhibition. Sebastiaan Knot.

Selection from Arcadia Gallery's 2025 LAAS exhibition. Stephen Fox, “Ghost of a Past Romance,” 2024.

Selection from Wood Symphony's 2025 LAAS exhibition. Larisa Safaryan, “Architects of Heaven.”

LAAS is the largest and longest-running art fair in Los Angeles, and showcases artwork from more than 120 international galleries, museums, and non-profit arts organizations.

Selection from Fabrik Projects's 2025 LAAS exhibition. Sebastiaan Knot.

Selection from Rebecca Hossack Gallery's 2025 LAAS exhibition. Laurence Jones, “Infinite Horizons,” 2024.

Selection from LE Gallery's 2025 LAAS exhibition. Roy Lichtenstein, “Seascape No 1,” 1964.

Selection from Rebecca Hossack Gallery's 2025 LAAS exhibition. Mersuka Dopazo, “Amigos Since Forever,” 2024.

Selection from Wood Symphony's 2025 LAAS exhibition. Nairi Safaryan, “Unity.”

The My Modern Met team will be on location during LAAS, cataloging the fair's exceptional moments.

Selection from Rebecca Hossack Gallery's 2025 LAAS exhibition. Nikoleta Sekulovic, “H.Martineau,” 2024.

Selection from Casterline Goodman Gallery's 2025 LAAS exhibition. Daniel Yocum.

Selection from Rebecca Hossack Gallery's 2025 LAAS exhibition. Phil Shaw, “For Piet's Sake II,” 2014.

Selection from LE Gallery's 2025 LAAS exhibition. Pablo Picasso, “Jacqueline Lisant,” 1957.

Selection from Arcadia Gallery's 2025 LAAS exhibition. Aaron Westerberg, “Apprehension,” 2024.

LA Art Show: Website | Instagram

My Modern Met received permission to feature images by the LA Art Show.

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READ: LA Art Show Preview: Celebrate Its 30th Anniversary With Countless International Galleries

Between January and September 2024, Dubai welcomed over 13 million visitors, cementing it as one of the world’s most attractive tourist destinations. The city has no shortage of lavish hotels, but, for those living in the city full-time, a new highrise condominium may offer a similarly luxurious experience.

Designed by HKS Architects in collaboration with Ginco Properties, One Residence is a 30-story tower with 453 units, ranging from cozy studios to high-end penthouses. Each apartment boasts expansive views of the city, effectively dissolving the boundaries between inside and outside. In addition to showcasing Dubai’s remarkable skyline and nature, these units also integrate spacious floor plans and climate-sensitive features to enhance comfort.

The building also prioritizes well-being through its large outdoor areas alongside a host of amenities, including an infinity pool, fitness center, co-working spaces, cinema, and children’s play area.

What distinguishes One Residence from other luxury condominiums, however, is its striking copper-clad facade. Circular balconies cascade across the building, generating a curvilinear effect that resembles rippling water or sand. Led by Brad Wilkins, formerly of HKS, the design concept mimics Dubai’s sweeping sand dunes and the nearby Persian Gulf, creating yet another connection to the UAE’s singular landscape.

Al Sadu weaving also serves as an inspiration for One Residence’s facade given its local significance. A symbol of Arabian heritage, the craft blends geometric patterns with bold colors, and has traditionally served as decorative accessories for camels and horses.

Nestled in downtown Dubai and only steps away from iconic landmarks, One Residence emphasizes the UAE’s unique characteristics as architectural focal points.

One Residence is slated to be completed by 2027. To stay updated on the project, visit the HKS website.

Designed by HKS Architects, the One Residence condominium tower in Dubai is slated to open in 2027.

The building boasts an innovative copper-clad facade with circular balconies, mimicking Dubai's sweeping sand dunes.

One Residence will feature a host of luxury amenities, including large outdoor spaces, a fitness center, a children's play area, and an infinity pool.

Apartment units will also have expansive views of Dubai, its skyline, and its singular nature, diminishing the boundaries between inside and outside.

HKS Architects: Website | Instagram | Facebook
Ginco Properties: Website | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos from HKS.

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READ: Copper-Clad Condominium Facade Cleverly Mimics Dubai’s Sweeping Sand Dunes

 

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According to the State Bar of California, a little over half of applicants passed the July 2024 exam. Rhiannah Gordon was one of them.

Gordon, a single working mom of two young kids, was determined to transition to a career in law. Only once she returned home from her 9-to-5 day job and put her children to sleep, however, would she have the opportunity to study for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). Despite her exhaustion, she persisted, and was eventually accepted at the University of California, Davis.

While in law school, Gordon juggled a full course load along with a job at the California Department of Transportation. She also had to accommodate her children, 12-year-old Flinn and 10-year-old Rhiley, into her busy schedule.

“I did everything I could to maintain the life that we had already established,” Gordon told TODAY in an interview. “I took them to their sports practices, I was at their games, but sometimes that meant if they looked up at me in the stands, my head would be in a book.”

The years of hard work have finally paid off.

In a recent video posted by Gordon, she sits anxiously at her computer, her two children pacing behind her in anticipation. The three of them are awaiting Gordon’s California bar exam results.

“Oh, my God,” Gordon says almost blankly, as if taken by surprise, when her results finally load. Once the shock dissipates and the realization sets in: “Oh, my God. I passed!”

Flinn and Rhiley crowd their mother, crying with joy and relief as they hug her. Gordon passed her bar exam on her first try.

“Black people face more barriers and obstacles,” Gordon continued. “So it was very important for me to make sure that my kids’ odds of being successful are as high as they can be. A parent’s education level contributes to that. I did this for them. They are my reason.”

In December 2024, Gordon attended her swearing-in ceremony and, today, she works for the California Department of Justice.

To keep up to date with her adventures, you can follow Rhiannah Gordon on Instagram and TikTok.

Rhiannah Gordon, a single working mom of two, was determined to transition into a law career, studying for her LSATs and attending law school while working a full-time job.

 

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Her hard work recently paid off: she passed her bar exam on her very first try, and celebrated the accomplishment with her two children.

 

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Gordon attended her swearing-in ceremony in December 2024 and currently works for the California Department of Justice.

 

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Rhiannah Gordon: Instagram | TikTok

Source: A single mom passed the bar exam on her first try. Her kids' reaction went viral

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A new fund has recently been established for artists and arts workers impacted by the destructive Los Angeles firestorms. Led by the J. Paul Getty Trust, the LA Arts Community Fire Relief Fund launched on January 15 with $12 million, and is rapidly growing in response to wildfire devastation.

Several other local art institutions are participating in the fundraising effort, including MOCA, LACMA, and the Hammer Museum. Partnering organizations span the Mellon Foundation, Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Ford Foundation, and Qatar Museums, among other national and international institutions.

Beginning on January 20, artists and arts workers across any discipline affected by the Los Angeles wildfires can apply for an emergency grant via the Center for Cultural Innovation website. According to a statement from the Getty, the application process will be designed with expediency at its core, emphasizing a swift redistribution of funds and, as the situation evolves, the potential for applying funds to longer-term needs.

Los Angeles is recognized internationally for its vibrant art scene, boasting a diverse array of arts institutions, studios, collectives, and archives. Having already destroyed as many as 12,000 homes, the firestorms have ravaged the thriving city and its creative economy, displacing thousands of residents and significantly disrupting their livelihoods.

“People around the world are watching in horror as vast areas of Los Angeles burn, but this regional tragedy has global cultural repercussions,” Katherine E. Fleming, president and CEO of the J. Paul Getty Trust, said in a statement. “Amid the losses suffered by the artists and arts workers who so strongly define LA, Getty is grateful to the many partners, local, national, and international, who have come together to meet the urgent needs of this community.”

The LA Arts Community Fire Relief Fund is only one of many fundraising initiatives in response to the wildfires. Whether it be the Art World Fire Relief LA GoFundMe campaign, Craft Emergency Relief Fund, Los Angeles Fire Relief Effort to Support Music Professionals, or the Entertainment Community Fund, each effort strives to offer mutual aid and support during a time of exceptional hardship.

My Modern Met is proud to have donated to the LA Arts Community Fire Relief Fund. If you’d like to help support artists and arts workers affected by these devastating fires, please consider donating on Getty’s website.

If you want to help those who have been affected by the fires in the LA area, check out this list of wildfire relief initiatives. For those affected by the fires, please refer to this updated list of resources for shelter, food, clothing, pet care, and more.

Led by the J. Paul Getty Foundation, the LA Arts Community Fire Relief Fund will offer critical aid to artists and arts workers impacted by the Los Angeles wildfires.

The outside of the Getty Museum in Los Angeles (Photo: Bobak Ha'Eri, via Wikimedia Commons, CC 3.0)

Beginning on January 20, people may apply for emergency funds via the Center for Cultural Innovation website, which the Getty and its partnering institutions aim to redistribute rapidly.

Source: Foundations and Arts Organizations Create $12M LA Arts Community Fire Relief Fund

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READ: Newly Established LA Arts Community Fire Relief Fund Will Offer Critical Aid to Artists and Art Workers

 

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Conditions in California have been devastating lately due to the wildfires that have ravaged the Los Angeles area. However, our faith in humanity has been restored thanks to the countless acts of kindness from across the United States and even beyond. In a video recently shared by Khalsa Aid, we're given yet another opportunity to witness selfless acts of compassion and warm-hearted hospitality. Members of Southern California’s Sikh community have been preparing hot meals for those affected by the firestorms. People are seen vigorously chopping vegetables while others stir massive pots filled with sauces, soups, and curries. The finished meals are then meticulously hand-packed and stored into cardboard boxes, which volunteers wheel away on a cart.

Since last week, Khalsa Aid, a global humanitarian organization built upon Sikh principles, has prepared hundreds of vegetarian meals for those affected by the Los Angeles wildfires. Volunteers have also distributed essential non-perishable goods to thousands of families, all while partnering with local groups like Korea Town’s YMCA and Pasadena Job Center.

In Bakersville, a city just north of Los Angeles, Sikh residents are similarly mobilizing, collecting items such as new socks, blankets, and underwear, as well as food, water, and Gatorade to redistribute to community members impacted by the fires.

“In the Sikh community I have received a lot of requests of folks wanting to help, they really felt a call to do something and help our neighbors in the Los Angeles area,” Manpreet Kaur, vice mayor of Bakersfield, told local broadcasting network KERO-TV.

In 2022, Kuar became the first Sikh Punjabi woman elected to the Bakersfield City Council. Given her cultural background, Kuar immediately understood the importance of Sikh involvement in wildfire relief efforts.

“We’ve taken all of our Gudwara’s, which are Sikh places of worship, and we have made them collection sites so that we can collect the supplies that are most needed,” Kuar continued. “One of our Sikh principles is generosity and being of service to others.”

In addition to the Sikh community, several others have rallied behind Los Angeles through mutual aid and grassroots initiatives. Based in Inglewood, It’s Bigger Than Us is a Black-led non-profit that has been delivering water and resources to first responders while simultaneously running a distribution hub. The National Day Laborer Organizing Network is similarly raising money for immigrant workers, and Lagartijas Climbing Crú, a collective of BIPOC rock climbers, has organized a crowdsourced spreadsheet for mutual aid requests.

For many Angelenos, grassroots organizing has proven more effective and reliable than that of state and federal agencies. Many organizers have expressed frustration with how, just months before the fires erupted, the city of Los Angeles cut their fire department’s budget by $17.5 million while raising that of LAPD by $126 million.

“The city started off this chain of events,” Howie Galper, a lead organizer of the political group the People’s Struggle San Fernando Valley, told The Guardian. “The politics of LA is to ignore the people, and this is the end result.”

Even so, these local efforts offer an extraordinary glimpse into the strength of community solidarity and mobilization in the face of climate disaster. As of this writing, the Los Angeles firestorms have destroyed an estimated 12,000 homes, and have forced over 100,000 residents to evacuate. In the Pacific Palisades alone, wildfires have ravaged nearly 24,000 acres of land.

If you want to help those who have been affected by the fires in the LA area, check out our list of wildfire relief initiatives. For those affected by the fires, please refer to this updated list of resources for shelter, food, clothing, pet care, and more.

Sikh communities across Southern California are organizing relief efforts for those impacted by the Los Angeles firestorms.

 

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Khalsa Aid is one such organization, having prepared hundreds of hot meals for redistribution.

 

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Other marginalized communities have initiated grassroots efforts as well, such as It's Bigger Than Us and Lagartijas Climbing Crú.

 

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The Los Angeles firestorms are the most destructive in California's history, having destroyed nearly 24,000 acres of land in the Pacific Palisades alone.

The Palisades fire in Los Angeles. (Photo: CAL FIRE_Official via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)

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READ: Sikh Communities in Southern California Are Organizing Relief Efforts for Victims of LA Firestorms

Photo: John Picken via Wikimedia Commons (CC 2.0)

Each year, approximately 700,000 megawatt hours of electricity are expended to power Chicago’s 411 municipal buildings. The beginning of 2025, however, signaled a major milestone in the city’s efforts toward increased sustainability. As of January 1, all buildings owned and operated by the city are officially powered by 100% renewable energy, including O’Hare International Airport, Harold Washington Library, 98 fire stations, and two of the world’s largest water treatment facilities.

This transition to renewable energy is anticipated to cut Chicago’s carbon emissions by 290,000 metric tons per year—the equivalent, per city officials, of removing 62,000 cars from the road. This extraordinary achievement positions Chicago as one of the largest cities in the U.S. sourcing the power for its operations with renewable, carbon-free energy. It’s also an achievement that has taken nearly a decade to realize.

The effort was originally proposed by then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel in 2017, and, in 2022, his successor Mayor Lori Lightfoot struck a deal with the electricity supplier Constellation. As outlined in the agreement, the city would purchase its energy from the developer Swift Current Energy beginning in 2025. Shortly thereafter, the developer began construction on Double Black Diamond, a massive solar farm in central Illinois.

Today, Double Black Diamond is the largest solar installation east of the Mississippi River at 3,800 acres and 593 megawatts. Now, 70% of Chicago’s renewable energy will be sourced from the farm, while the remaining 30% will come from purchased renewable energy credits.

“That’s really a feature and not a bug of our plan,” Jared Policicchio, Chicago’s deputy chief sustainability officer, told Grist. “Our goal over the next several years is that we reach a point where we’re not buying renewable energy credits.”

According to city officials, the step propels Chicago even closer to the goal of a 62% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 through direct investment and action by the City of Chicago.

“From both an environmental and equity perspective, this is a major achievement for the City,” Angela Tovar, Chicago’s chief sustainability officer and DOE commissioner, says. “As one of the nation’s largest cities, we have a responsibility to lead through climate action that benefits the people and the planet.”

To learn more about Chicago’s energy initiatives, visit the city’s renewable energy page.

Chicago has realized a major sustainability achievement: all of the city's municipal buildings are now powered by 100% renewable energy.

Photo: Yuchien.ning via Wikimedia Commons (CC 4.0)

Chicago's renewable energy is sourced from Double Black Diamond, the largest solar installation plant east of the Mississippi River.

Photo: Andrew Horne via Wikimedia Commons (CC 2.0)

Source: Mayor Brandon Johnson Announces 100% Renewable Energy Milestone For City Of Chicago

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READ: All of Chicago’s Municipal Buildings Are Now Powered by 100% Renewable Energy

The Palisades fire in Los Angeles. (Photo: CAL FIRE_Official via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)

On January 7, the most destructive firestorms in California history began ravaging Los Angeles. Over 100,000 people have been forced to evacuate their homes, with fires tearing through nearly 24,000 acres of land in the Pacific Palisades alone. There are several ways to support those impacted by these devastating wildfires, and buying artwork is now one of them.

In the past week, the art community has led the charge in funding wildfire relief efforts, whether it be through artwork raffles or sales. These proceeds are then redistributed to impacted individuals, mutual aid initiatives, or national organizations.

The Wattis Institute at the California College of the Arts, for example, is currently selling a print by the renowned West Coast artist Ed Ruscha. All proceeds from the sale through the month of January will benefit the LA Art World Fire Relief, an organization dedicated to helping artists and art workers recover from the damage caused by current wildfires.

Brooklyn- and Tokyo-based artist Kei Meguro is similarly selling prints from his Ikebana series to fund relief efforts, with 100% of proceeds being donated to Pasadena Humane. The non-profit organization focuses on critical care, shelter, and support to pets and wildlife displaced by the Los Angeles fires.

Art galleries have been proponents of wildfire aid as well. Until further notice, Treat Gallery in New York will be donating 40% of all artwork sales directly to the California Community Foundation’s Wildfire Recovery Fund. Hashimoto Contemporary, a gallery based in San Francisco and New York, is also hosting a raffle with artworks donated by over 30 artists, including Devra Fox, Carlos Rodriguez, and Madeline Tonzi.

These are only a handful of the efforts currently being launched by artists, studios, and galleries across the country. Our resource list below includes additional initiatives to help those affected by the Los Angeles firestorms.

If you want to help those who have been affected by the fires in the LA area, check out this list of wildfire relief initiatives. For those affected by the fires, please refer to this updated list of resources for shelter, food, clothing, pet care, and more.

Artists and galleries are selling artworks to help raise funds for those impacted by the wildfires in California.

The Palisades Fire on January 8, 2025. (Photo: CAL FIRE_Official via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)

Here are some of the many initiatives in the art community that are currently fundraising.

Women of Type

Women of Type is a premier global community that celebrates and uplifts women and nonbinary lettering and typography artists. The organization is currently partnering with Sticker Giant, with 100% of proceeds from its sticker sales going directly to the Pasadena Humane Society. A pack of two stickers is being sold for $10, with free U.S. shipping.

 

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Feia Raffle

Thomas Pilnik and his husband Jake Cavallo are the duo behind the Los Angeles-based design studio Feia. The couple is now hosting a raffle for three artworks by Pilnik, and proceeds will be redistributed to individual artists on GoFundMe and the Mutual Aid LA Network. Tickets are available for $15 until January 15 at 5 p.m. PT.

Shepard Fairey’s Limited-Edition Prints

Shepard Fairey is best known for creating Obama’s HOPE and Kamala Harris’ FORWARD posters. Now, the artist has designed a limited-edition print featuring a sparrow soaring above flames. 100% of proceeds from the Re-Build/Re-Think poster sales will be donated to the American Red Cross and other vetted organizations. The posters will be on sale until Thursday, January 16 at 12 p.m. PT.

 

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Anat Egbi Gallery Fundraiser for Alec Egan

Artist Alec Egan was preparing for a January exhibition at Anat Egbi Gallery when he lost his home, studio, and all artworks intended for the show in the fires. The gallery is now selling prints featuring Egan’s work, with all proceeds directly supporting Egan. The poster is available to purchase for $100 in the Anat Egbi Shop.

Brendan George Ko Butterfly Prints

Brendan George Ko is celebrated for his nature photography, which has been featured in The New Yorker and The New York Times. He’s now selling prints of two butterfly photographs for $220 each, with proceeds being donated to the Mutual Aid LA Network. To order a print, you can DM the photographer on Instagram.

 

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Kingsland Editions T-Shirts

Based in Brooklyn, Kingsland Editions specializes in screen printing. They’re currently selling a $50 t-shirt featuring the text “New York” and “Los Angeles” separated by a massive red heart. Proceeds will be donated to the Mutual Aid LA Network.

Spoke Art Gallery Print by George Townley

The fine art gallery has announced the launch of a charity print by George Townley. All proceeds from sales will be donated to World Central Kitchen. The gallery has yet to announce its release, but you can stay updated by following them on Instagram.

 

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Source: Buy an Artwork to Support Victims of LA Fires

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READ: You Can Buy Art To Help Support Those Impacted by the Devastating Los Angeles Wildfires