SALA DTLA 845 S. Broadway, Downtown Los Angeles

In February 2022, the same month  Society of Art Los Angeles (SALA) achieved nonprofit status, the organization was entrusted with the stewardship of a 1,600-square-foot retail space, jewel box storefront on LA’s original Theatre Row. Adjacent to the iconic and historic Eastern Columbia Building, the once-bustling retail space had gone dark during the pandemic. The building’s owner donated the venue with full confidence that SALA would reignite cultural vibrancy in the area.

SALA transformed the space into a dynamic cultural hub, seamlessly blending art, design, and community engagement. The debut exhibition, a surf shop-inspired social space, showcased works by Los Angeles-based artists and designers exploring California’s unique identity and ethos. By reactivating this historic site, SALA not only honored Theatre Row’s legacy as the city’s first arts district but also created a vital platform for contemporary creativity.

During the 14 months SALA occupied the building, we were quickly thrust into the public eye, refining our mission and building our reputation as we went—essentially building the plane while flying it—through the following programming:

Surfshop 2/11/22

GLAS as a case study wasn’t just about drawing a broad and diverse crowd—it was about crafting an experience so compelling and relevant, rooted in California’s unique art history, that visitors would not only stay but feel curious to return. Held from February to April 2022, this group exhibition featured 20 Los Angeles-based artists and designers, showcasing a mix of artworks, sculptures, wearables, and functional objects that reflected California’s distinctive identity and providing context about that identity. We hosted activations like wine tastings and live musical performances. By design, the inclusive and approachable exhibition transcended the traditional gallery format, fostering interaction and conversation. 

Sarah Konte Tumbleweeds 4/16/22

Experimental French-Senegalese artist and filmmaker, Sarah Konte, arrived in Los Angeles to expand her thinking through an “LA” lens as part of an exchange between Les Beaux-Arts, Paris and The California Institute of the Arts. Academic institutions provide valuable resources, they often remain insular, limiting engagement to a narrow academic community. As a companion to the academic institutions which offer valuable resources, SALA provided a unique platform beyond the ivory tower, bridging the gap between academia and the real world. Through its extensive network and programming, SALA was able to offer a more tangible, immersive planform—connecting Sarah Konte and her works with a diverse array of people, ideas, and creative opportunities that an academic setting alone couldn't provide. 

Sci Arc 7/12/22

SALA served as a vital platform for SCI-Arc architecture and design students during an eight-week workshop that blended narrative development with spatial design. By creating a space where students could construct immersive environments to bring their stories to life, SALA facilitated a deeper exploration of how design can embody meaning. Rooted in the philosophy of building worlds with intention, SALA draws inspiration from artists like JB Blunk and the legacy of Pond Farm, where nature and place profoundly inform creative practice. This approach emphasizes art and design as integral to living in harmony with the surrounding world, a core value that shaped the workshop experience.

The focus of our exhibitions was intentionally rooted in inclusivity and community, with an emphasis on amplifying POC voices. Notable examples include Mother ([June 2022]), a collaborative installation by local downtown artists who live and work near the gallery, allowing us to extend their reach. We also supported Roman Koval’s self-published photography book launch ([August 2022]), and hosted Negashi, a rapper and visual artist from Atlanta ([August 2022]), exploring race and politics through his aphro-futuristic universe. In August 2022, we hosted a fashion pop-up that allowed designers near the fashion district to create art-centric installations. Additionally, in September 2022, we held the first screening of the Black-centric film club and showcased Comodo Wednesdays, a Japanese American-centric exhibition by Parker Ito and Greg Shamada that explores the history of American and European occupation in Japan.

In October 2022, we celebrated Indian heritage with a collaboration between South Indian clothing designer Vihanga and Anastasia Hasna, founder of Ku Rasa, a food based design practice that focuses on intentional dinner parties, intimate gatherings rooted in community care, sensory experiences, and spatial curation. Drawing from historical and cultural methods of Indonesian cuisine, Ku Rasa uses food as a tool of expression with the intention to commune with people we love. Ku Rasa, former Indonesian Food Pop-Up in Chicago, has now found its way to LA and is centered around intimate gatherings with food as a medium. Hasna, is a designer of many things with a background in architecture and environmental research, speculation, objects, and image-making, she utilizes her diverse skillset to approach a multidisciplinary practice.. The event, featuring a DJ set by Sahar Habibi, was curated by Misael Oqundo and emphasized the power of cultural collaboration between different cultures that have converged in California. Vihanga is a designer label that marries its two founders’ distinct backgrounds: Miles Jackson’s American heritage and Vihanga Sontam’s South Indian roots, and bridges their visions with their shared love for timeless design. With depth in both cultural anecdotes & formal detail the label uses sharp lines, subtle drapes, and rich textiles to create elegant, versatile clothing. This was a powerful experiment in connecting very different cultures in an educational and inviting environment.