For the Hammer Museum's 7th iteration of its beloved Made in L.A. biennale, curators Essence Harden and Paulina Pobocha have captured a representation of the city's wide-ranging artistic practices that lends itself to close looking and repeat visits.
On view now through March 1, the 27 artists included in Made in L.A. 2025 are installed in sometimes intergenerational conversation with one another's perspectives and practices. The curators have selected previously made and newly commissioned works that bring to light a variety of thematic explorations. Some spaces in the galleries stitch together histories in layers and from the fringes, others provide hyper-minimalistic moments, and many pieces, on closer reflection, reveal imperfections and melancholy.
This year's edition of Made in L.A. highlights emerging and underrecognized artists that inspire conversations about the past, present and future for art and artists, said Zoe Ryan, Hammer Museum director. Made in L.A. 2025 is also an example of the museum's continuing commitment to art and ideas for a more just world, she said, and upholding freedom of expression for artists.
"Without that freedom, we are constrained from reflecting the past and envisioning what the future can be," Ryan said.
She acknowledged the challenges Los Angeles has faced in 2025, noting that the curators have spent more than a year in the lead-up to the exhibition, visiting artist studios, talking, listening and seeking to understand the perspectives of the people who help animate the cultural heartbeat of the city. This is an important practice for the Hammer, Ryan said.
"Museums are critical components of a thriving society," she said. "We help communities build empathy, literacy, critical thinking, and a better understanding of the world that sustains us."
Read about what is featured at Made in L.A. 2025 at the Go Arts website.
