Past Exhibitions
2024
October 2024
WISHLIST 12
Experience the excitement as Gabba Gallery unveils Wishlist 12, its 12th annual affordable art show. This group exhibition in Gabba’s stunning new DTLA location brings together over 70 talented artists from LA and beyond. Prices start at $100 and never exceed $1000. The “grab and go” format allows collectors take their art home right away as new art goes up creating an ever-evolving exhibition.
Curated by the dynamic duo of Jason Ostro and Elena Jacobson, Wishlist 12 promises to deliver a kaleidoscopic collection to delight any art-lover. Mark your calendars and be part of the magic at Wishlist 12
August 2024
DAVE & FRIENDS
Dave Pressler is a skilled multimedia artist, illustrator, animator, painter, sculptor, and more. He is known for his sardonic humor and acclaimed for his animation work as co-creator of the series “Robot and Monster” and executive producer on Nickelodeon’s successful “Rugrats” reboot.
The show highlights Pressler’s fun and often sarcastic tone, drawing from his extensive multi-media background. Robots, monsters, and other charming characters take center stage in his most recent collection of paintings, drawings, sculptures, and toys. His loveable creatures will captivate art-lovers of all ages, from the young to the young at heart.
Along with Gabba’s Jason Ostro and Elena Jacobson, Pressler has curated a group exhibition with a similarly enchanting point of view. While the artists on display hail from many different corners of the art world and work in a variety of media, they all share Dave’s signature joie de vivre. From the bright and bold to the quirky and playful to the adorable and touching, don’t miss this joyful celebration of life, a perfect show for summer.
April 2024
EMEK’s Career Retrospective - “30 Years of AAARGHT!”
Follow Gabba to our new home in DTLA, and delve into three decades of art, music, and counter-culture by legendary artist & illustrator, EMEK.
Famous for his classic rock & gig posters, EMEK was affectionately named "The Thinking Man’s Poster Artist" by punk-rock singer Henry Rollins. EMEK has created album art & posters for some of the greatest musicians of all time including the Grateful Dead, Foo Fighters, Primus, Queens of the Stone Age, Nine Inch Nails, Ween, Erykah Badu, Elton John, Neil Young, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and many more! EMEK is also known for his yearly official Coachella posters and permanent Coachella billboard.
The show will feature rare art from the artist’s archive, vintage memorabilia, new original art, prints, and merchandise. The exhibition will also showcase artwork by the two most influential artists in EMEK’s career, his parents: Yuval Golan and Lynda “Jikai” Golan. See the paintings that made young EMEK want to become an artist and how his parents’ artistic styles inspired his later work. This family of artists doesn’t end there, the show also features art collaborations between EMEK and his brother Gan Golan, a New York Times best-selling author, artist, and activist.
For admirers of alternative, psychedelic, and classic art/music, this comprehensive collection of over 300 pieces is an essential visit. We can't wait to see you there!
Curated by Jason Ostro and Elena Jacobson.
2023
October 2023
Wishlist 11 - The Affordable Art Show
Featuring over 75 artists from around the world, this highly anticipated group exhibition showcases a variety of art mediums at accessible prices.
This dynamic show changes throughout the evening. When an artwork is purchased, we take it off the wall & the collector can take it home right away—then something new is hung in its place. Each visit offers a fresh experience, and you might just leave with new art that very night!
Curated by Jason Ostro and Elena Jacobson.
July 2023
Alex Achaval - LOUNGE
Gabba Gallery Presents LOUNGE, a captivating virtual solo exhibition by Los Angeles-based artist Alex Achaval. Curated by Jason Ostro and Elena Jacobson, this online-only collection will be available for viewing starting July 13th, 2023 at 9am PT, noon ET.
In Lounge, Alex Achaval continues to redefine the concept of a portrait. Hyperrealistic black-and-white depictions of the female face combined with textured, multi-colored layers of oil paint bring a fresh verity and dimension to his subjects. Having showcased his remarkable talent in over 30 exhibitions worldwide, the unveiling of 14 brand-new pieces in Lounge displays his artistic evolution while remaining true to the core of his unique style.
June 2023
Epid-EMEK
EMEK returns to Los Angeles with Epid-EMEK, his second solo show at Gabba Gallery. Curated by Jason Ostro and Elena Jacobson, the exhibition opens June 3.
In this latest collection of “doodles,” Emek builds on the whimsical cast of characters from his 2019 show, Picture Day. Each inked portrait on paper captures a different monster, insect, skeleton, or other odd creature dressed up in his finest attire, perhaps with an eyeball peeking out of his breast pocket.
The drawings are impressive, with stunningly detailed fine line work, but shine brightest thanks to their understated wit. Even though his subjects are conventionally unapproachable (bugs, ghouls, even a brick wall) Emek manages to infuse them all with charm and dignity. These loveable misfits are certain to capture your heart.
In addition to original works on paper, the exhibition features sculptural pieces and limited edition prints from the artist’s archives including prints on aluminum.
Emek is a world-renowned artist best known for his iconic gig-poster designs. His work has been featured on PBS, permanently displayed at Hard Rock Cafés, and holds three spots on Billboard’s list of the 25 Best Rock Posters of All Time—more than any other artist on the list. Emek lives and works in Oregon.
March 2023
Justin Aversano - SMOKE & MIRRORS
The exhibition will feature 78 limited edition silkscreen prints attached to NFTs that reimagine a tarot deck through the medium of photography. The 22 major arcana (gold) and 56 minor arcana (silver) portraits printed on papyrus capture Aversano’s local healers, spiritualists, creatives and family in handmade analog prints which the artist deems “hybrid photographic neo-hieroglyphs”.
Smoke and Mirrors presents a timely exploration of memory, history, spiritualism and psychogeography of Aversano’s sitters with a nod to the global growing interest in technopaganism and spirituality expressed through photography. Marrying the worlds of occult and crypto, Aversano’s evocative portraits showcase a sense of community, family, love, grief and individualism. Printing on papyrus, Aversano draws the comparison between ancient Egyptian scrolls and NFT photography. Used to document important information from religious texts to legal documents, the papyrus scrolls were carefully passed down through generations, much like how Aversano is using photography to document the world, and NFTs are being used to preserve digital assets today. The artist entwines the private with the public by aligning an evocative portrait of his father standing by the grave of Aversano’s late mother for a card titled “Death” alongside healers and spiritualists which the artist has encountered during his Hero’s Journey through grief.
February 2023
DAY & NIGHT - BROOKE HARKER
DEEP TIME - PATRICK HAEMMERLEIN
LYRICAL- JSPOT JR.
Gabba Gallery invites you to three outstanding new solo shows by Brooke Harker, Patrick Haemmerlein, and JSpot Jr. Curated by Jason Ostro and Elena Jacobson, all three shows open February 11.
Brooke Harker enchants viewers with DAY & NIGHT, a lively collection of large-scale cityscapes that feels like a trip around the world. Each painting captures the magic of a different destination: the lights of Hong Kong, the Eiffel Tower, the streets of Rome, Hollywood at night. These beloved locales come alive with lusciously textured paint, vibrant color palettes and whimsical elements (taxis, hats, umbrellas). Harker’s work radiates joy and a playful sense of adventure. Each painting is like a little vacation, transporting you to a beautiful place brimming with its own unique energy.
Patrick Haemmerlein returns to Gabba with DEEP TIME, a collection of mixed media collages on panel. Each piece juxtaposes sheet music from a classic song with a photograph and other printed materials. Natural elements such as horses, birds, flowers, and trees appear in some, while others features distant hints of humanity: an abandoned shopping cart, a lone sailboat, a tent in the woods, a quiet farm. Several memorable works feature a pile of old cars covered in graffiti with a lone coyote in the foreground. The show evokes a wonderful sense of nostalgia—peaceful with a touch of melancholy.
Detroit-based artist JSpot Jr. celebrates his worldwide debut with LYRICAL, a vibrant collection of paintings on canvas. After fifteen years focusing on commission work, the artist is thrilled to present his first solo show at Gabba Gallery. His colorful canvases feature layers of artfully dripping paint revealing shapes and words, most often lyrics to beloved songs. The collection radiates a bold energy, reminiscent of street art.
January 2023
ISKAR - MYSTICAL MORNINGS
Mexico City artist ISKAR presents a collection of collages, works on paper, mixed media works and limited edition fine art prints. Available for online viewing.
2022
November 2022
Wishlist 10
Gabba Gallery invites you to our 10th annual affordable art show, Wishlist 10! More than 40 artists from across the globe present accessibly priced original artworks. Prices start below $1000 and never exceed $1000. The “grab & go” format allows buyers to take their purchased art home right away. As the curators hang new art, the show keeps evolving throughout the night. Don’t miss this once-a-year chance to find stunning art at unbeatable prices. Curated by Jason Ostro and Elena Jacobson.
September 2022
Remix: The Art of Music 2022
The 5th annual Remix: The Art of Music opens at Gabba Gallery September 24. Remix is a music-themed exhibition bound to delight art-lovers and music-lovers alike. More than 50 local and international artists created visual artworks using music as their inspiration. The results are dazzling and diverse: imagined album covers, portraits of rock idols, paintings inspired by songs, and much more! Curated by Jason Ostro and Elena Jacobson, the show will be on view at Gabba Gallery September 24 – October 8. A portion of every sale will be donated to Adopt the Arts, a non-profit that helps fund arts programs in public elementary schools.
April 2022
Cosmic Shift
SaveArtSpace and Gabba Gallery present Cosmic Shift, opening April 30. Curated by LA-based visual artist Jen Stark, Cosmic Shift aims to draw attention to the infinite coexisting vibrancies all around us, generating a myriad of lenses through which to examine, connect, and challenge our methods of perceiving ourselves, our minds, our environments, and the intricacies of our existence.
Following an international open call for artists, Stark chose 12 artists to participate: Marcelo Pinel, Maalavidaa, Krisztina Lazar, Remie Emdur, Ellie Pritts, Alpha Channeling, SPACEFILLER, angelfire, Dang Olsen, Lala Abaddon, Judy Ostro, and Nicole Buffett. The show will be on view at Gabba Gallery April 30 – May 14.
January 2022
YOLO
Stephania Gambaroff
WILDLIFE IS BEAUTIFUL
Douglas Alvarez
Gabba Gallery invites you to two exciting new solo shows by Los Angeles-based artists, Stephania Gambaroff and Douglas Alvarez. Curated by Jason Ostro and Elena Jacobson, both shows open January 22.
Stephania Gambaroff wows with her bold new solo exhibition, YOLO. As the saying goes, “you only live once,” and Gambaroff’s show perfectly captures that exuberant spirit. Richly textured oil paintings weave together the unmistakable precision of a formally trained artist with the gritty urgency and evocative energy of LA street art. Better yet, 100% of the artist’s proceeds will be donated to Love More LA, a local non-profit dedicated to providing food for those in need. Don’t miss Gambaroff’s magnificent show cuz, you know—YOLO!!
Douglas Alvarez presents Wildlife is Beautiful, a whimsical collection of animal paintings. Alvarez’s critters, rendered in grayscale with gold accents, are adorable and endearing. A raccoon sports a Los Angeles hoodie. A bear lounges in a camping tent. Even P-22, Griffith Park’s legendary mountain lion, makes an appearance—donning a golden crown no less. Prepare to be charmed by Alvarez and his delightful menagerie.