Jessie Homer French at Frieze Los Angeles 2026

Jessie Homer French at Frieze Los Angeles 2026

SANTA MONICA, CA – Various Small Fires (VSF) is proud to present a solo presentation of works by Jessie Homer French for Frieze Los Angeles 2026. The exhibition will be featured within the fair’s main section at the Santa Monica Airport from February 26 through March 1, 2026.

Jessie Homer French (b. 1940) is a self-taught “regional narrative painter” whose work provides a poignant, often darkly humorous look at the intersection of nature and human interference. Based in the Coachella Valley, French’s paintings are known for their flat perspective and unflinching depictions of the cycle of life and death in the American West.

Nature’s Resilience and Human Hubris

While the specific works for Frieze 2026 are part of an “upcoming” reveal, French’s practice typically focuses on:

• Environmental Narrative: Scenes of forest fires, graveyard landscapes, and the quiet beauty of the desert.

• Flora & Fauna: Intimate portraits of wildlife—often depicted in states of peril or peaceful repose—that highlight the fragility of the natural world.

• The “Frieze” Experience: For the 2026 fair, VSF is expected to showcase her latest series of landscapes that contrast the pristine beauty of the California outdoors with the industrial scars left by modern development.

About the Artist

French’s career has seen a significant late-career resurgence, with her work being featured in the 2022 Venice Biennale and held in the permanent collections of the Hammer Museum and The Palm Springs Art Museum. Her ability to capture the “quiet apocalypse” of the modern environment has made her a vital voice in contemporary California art.