How new global tariffs could affect the art market: L.A. arts and culture this week

Los Angeles Times

07-04-2025

Art is a global business. While it might make sense to urge consumers to buy local when it comes to eggs and lettuce, buying exclusively local is not typically a thing when it comes to art institutions. Neither is buying only American-made art. Museums, galleries, art fairs and even individual collectors revel in holding and displaying international collections.
Which is why President Trump's recent 'Liberation Day' tariffs could create the kind of friction for the art market that ultimately slows the buying and selling of art.
The sweeping nature of the global tariffs is also poised to affect supplies such a lumber for art crates and canvas stretcher bars; aluminum and steel for shelving; and tools for art-making of all kinds. That's not to mention the items needed for events, openings, trade shows and art fairs, as well as art-related gift shop ephemera such as socks, shirts, tote bags, jewelry and other relatively inexpensive products often made overseas.
All told, Trump's new tariffs are estimated to cost U.S. importers an additional $714 billion annually (up from $78 billion). Most of those costs are passed on to consumers. No corner of the economy is likely to remain untouched, and the already fickle art market is no exception.
Trade publications have been diligently tracking the Trump tariff effect since Inauguration Day, and have reported on a variety of pressing issues confronting the industry. These issues are likely to get worse now that a 10% tariff has been imposed on all imports, with additional tariffs of 20% for the European Union and 34% on China.
A week before the new tariffs took effect, the New York-based online art brokerage Artsy published a primer titled 'What art collectors need to know about Trump's tariffs,' outlining the potential ramifications in no uncertain terms.
'Some international galleries are reconsidering their plans to attend U.S. art fairs due to increased costs. Meanwhile, galleries based in the U.S. are weighing up the difficulties of showing and selling work by artists whose practices are based in those affected countries,' the article reads. 'The impact of these tariffs amid the cross-border flow and exchange of artworks — such a crucial facet of the modern, international art world — is creating confusion among both galleries and collectors. Many are unsure of whether their usual practices of shipping and sales will incur extra costs.'
In early March, when Trump slapped additional tariffs on Mexico and Canada, ArtNews reported that the new taxes would 'make the cost and process of selling, transporting, and exhibiting art significantly more complicated, expensive, and uncertain, especially after galleries spend months planning their participation in art fairs like Art Basel Hong Kong, Independent, and Frieze New York.'
Frieze New York is gearing up for a May 7 opening with a robust slate of international galleries and artists, some hailing from countries where the tariffs are particularly steep, such as South Korea. Frieze did not respond to a request for comment from The Times about how the new tariffs could affect the fair, but it is possible that potential buyers will think twice before procuring art that could cost quite a bit more than its sticker price. A $500,000 painting from the EU would have a post-tariff price tag of $600,000, for example.
Another ARTNews article featured interviews with a group of experts who offered 'a bleak picture of the year to come, saying that the tariffs will increase confusion and operating expenses, shift buying behavior among collectors, as well as hurt small and mid-size galleries the most due to limited resources.'
'If you're spending 10 million on a work of art and you're paying $1 million or $2 million, or even $2.5 million in tariffs because it was imported, you'd say, 'No way. Forget it. It's a write-off of $2.5 million. I can't do that. I'll go for real estate, or I'll go for stocks and shares,'' Philip Hoffman, founder and chief executive of the Fine Art Group, told ARTnews. 'It'll be the kiss of death.'
An Art Newspaper article from early March explored how rising material costs affect artists, noting: 'Every decision or indecision regarding raw materials has consequences for U.S. artists, especially those whose practices rely on being able to source specific materials.'
I'm arts and culture writer Jessica Gelt here to tell you that the only current certainty when it comes to tariffs is uncertainty. Ashley Lee and I are here with your weekly arts rundown.
'Will Rawls: [siccer]'Times art critic Christopher Knight picked the performance artist and choreographer's exhibition as one of his most anticipated offerings for the spring season: 'Rawls projects stop-motion videos of still images of Black dancers onto chroma green screens suspended from the ceiling. The mix of animation, photography, projection and motion tangles up an array of lens-based media to dissect representations of the human body.'
The immersive installation is on view at the Institute of Contemporary Art L.A. through Aug. 31, 1717 E. 7th St., downtown L.A. theicala.org; the presentation also includes three live performances (Thursday-Saturday) at the Roy and Edna Disney CalArts Theater that experiment with stop-motion, the filmmaking technique in which still photographs are strung together to produce a moving image. REDCAT, 631 W. 2nd St., downtown L.A. redcat.org
'Curse of the Ring: Das Rheingold'For the first time, the Pacific Symphony is performing the first of the four operas in Richard Wagner's iconic 'Ring' cycle, the story of which influenced J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings' books. Conducted by Carl St. Clair, the shows will be sung in German with English supertitles, and presented in a semi-staged format with the orchestra, singers, video elements, costumes and props. Performances are Thursday, Sunday and Tuesday, April 15; all three events include access to a pre-show talk with KUSC midday host Alan Chapman. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. pacificsymphony.org
'Just Like Us'Latino Theater Co. kicks off its 40th anniversary season with the West Coast premiere of Karen Zacarías' nonfiction play, inspired by Helen Thorpe's book about four close-knit Latina teenagers who are challenged by their varied immigration statuses. Fidel Gomez directs the Denver-set production, which stars Noelle Franco, Valerie Vega, Newt Arlandiz and Blanca Isabella. Performances begin Thursday and continue through May 18. Los Angeles Theatre Center, 514 S. Spring St., downtown L.A. latinotheaterco.org
— Ashley Lee
TUESDAY🎞️ High Art Ally Sheedy and Radha Mitchell star in Lisa Cholodenko's 1998 indie lesbian romance, with the writer/director in person.7:30 p.m. Vidiots, 4884 Eagle Rock Blvd. vidiotsfoundation.org
WEDNESDAY🎞️ The Day of the Locust A 4K presentation of writer Waldo Salt and director John Schlesinger's 1975 adaptation of Nathanael West's dystopic Hollywood novel, starring Donald Sutherland, Karen Black, Burgess Meredith and William Atherton, with Atherton and photographer Michael Childress in person.⏰ 7:30 p.m. Academy Museum, 6067 Wilshire Blvd. academymuseum.org
📺 This Is Not a Fiction The American Cinematheque's celebration of the documentary and nonfiction art forms features the world premiere of the second season of 'Conan O'Brien Must Go,' Bill Hader and Fred Armisen for the 10th anniversary of 'Documentary Now!,' Charles Burnett's 'Killer of Sheep,' Errol Morris' 'Chaos: The Manson Murders' and more.⏰ Through April 17. Aero Theatre, 1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica; Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd.; Los Feliz Theatre, 1822 N. Vermont Ave. americancinematheque.com
THURSDAY🎼 🎭 Curse of the Ring: Das Rheingold The Pacific Symphony performs a semi-staged version of Wagner's opera in German with English supertitles.⏰ 8 p.m. Thursday; 2 p.m., April 13; and 8 p.m. April 15. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. pacificsymphony.org
Times theatre critic Charles McNulty left the Majestic Theater feeling 'reborn' after watching six-time Tony winner Audra McDonald in the current Broadway revival of 'Gypsy,' directed by George C. Wolfe. But that is not the way he felt at intermission as he was second-guessing one of his favorite performer's choices when it came to her portrayal of Rose in the 1959 musical by Jule Styne (music), Stephen Sondheim (lyrics) and Arthur Laurents (book). Arriving at that moment came during the show's denoument when, 'the path McDonald had been forging as Rose all along suddenly became transcendently clear,' McNulty writes in his review.
In a review about why the Los Angeles Philharmonic's Handel Festival was 'revelatory,' Times' classical music critic Mark Swed explores the continuing relevance of George Frideric Handel and Pierre Boulez. Although the composers were working 240 years apart, they shared an iconoclastic aesthetic that is particularly striking today, Swed writes, noting, 'There is little equal in music to 22-year-old disruptors on the level of Handel and Boulez.'
Last week, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted to create a Grand Avenue Cultural District to boost the visibility of the arts scene in a corridor of downtown that includes the Broad museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Center Theatre Group, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Opera, REDCAT and the Colburn School. The initiative was championed by the Music Center and found early support from L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis.
An L.A. arts leader is going into politics. Esther Kim Varet, the founder of Various Small Fires gallery announced that she's running for Congress in an effort to, 'flip California's 40th District from red to blue.' In an email to supporters, Varet wrote, 'I've put my neck out there because right now — we need to fight and take action against this administration. I'm a full-time working mom, and it's not easy. But our art community has a moral obligation to stand up and DO SOMETHING. … I'm determined to win, because regaining control of the House is the best thing we can do to actually put [the] brakes on the Trump train wreck.'
Bruce Lurie Gallery, which burned down in January's Palisades fire, and was the only fine arts gallery in the Pacific Palisades, has reopened in Santa Monica. The opening reception for the new space took place late last month after an outpouring of support from the community. 'Living and working in the Pacific Palisades for the past 14 years has been an honor,' said gallery owner Bruce Lurie in a news release. 'This community is a rare gem, and it's a privilege to begin this new chapter in Santa Monica and present 'Renascence,' which speaks to the rebirth of the gallery, but also the Palisades.' The gallery's inaugural show includes work by 21 artists, including Malibu-based Jon Krawczyk, whose three polished stainless-steel sculptures were the only art pieces to survive the fire in the original gallery.
— Jessica Gelt
Because your wallet needs a break from life, I present you with this handy Times' guide to lunch spots where you can score a meal for $15 or less. My fave? The quarter rotisserie meal at Saucy Chick Goat Mafia in Pasadena.