At the intersection of Shatto Place and Seventh Street sits a set of glass doors bearing a faded A.A. sign and a keypad. Two blocks up, a storefront is open but has no name above it, and down an inviting hallway in what appears to be a large office building is an entryway inscribed with the names Lee & Lee. Walk through any of these strange entryways and you will find a thriving gallery with some of LA’s most interesting contemporary art.
Along Koreatown’s western edge, a distinct artistic enclave is beginning to take shape — you just have to look to find it. Here’s where to start.
Lee & Lee Gallery
3130 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 502
Tucked among the large structures of Wilshire Blvd., Lee & Lee has quietly held its ground since 2003 — one of the longest-running galleries in the neighborhood. The willingness to spotlight both emerging talents and industry professionals has given it staying power that newer arrivals are still working to match.
Commonwealth and Council
3006 W. 7th St., Suite 220
Commonwealth and Council began as a small exhibition space in owner Young Chung’s Koreatown apartment. Initially showing only the work of close friends, the gallery has grown to host an impressive roster of artists — none of whom make art specifically for galleries.
Visitors can request an access code to a keypad on Seventh Street, which opens the doors to Commonwealth’s expanding arts loft.
The space is airy and large, but not sterile. Stitched together over time, seams in the floorboards show the ghosts of long-gone walls: When walking into the gallery, visitors still pass the first small chunk of space Chung rented once the gallery moved out of his apartment. That original room, now renamed the Secret Asian Man Gallery, pays homage to Commonwealth’s roots by continuing to show work by friends. The rest of the space is used for experimental sculptures, installations and contemporary paintings not always suited for traditional venues.
Gallery Koen
3107 W. 6th St.
Gallery Koen is an offshoot of Ibi Yoo’s artisanal Korean housewares storefront, Studio Kō. Yoo co-runs the gallery with Matthew Jung-Quillen. The space features functional art by Korean artists and has become a platform for many making their U.S. debut.
The choice to plant roots in Koreatown was deliberate. “As Korean immigrants ourselves, and working with artists whose studios are based in Korea, the history of the neighborhood and our strong ties to Korea made the choice to be in Koreatown an easy one,” Yoo and Jung-Quillen told The LA Local.
Shatto Gallery
3130 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 104
Shatto Gallery is one of only two spaces in the neighborhood with a sign out front — even if it’s usually half-hidden behind a tree. The artwork on view leans abstract, particularly in its sculptural programming, while the paintings selected have a quiet magnetism that draws viewers toward the walls.
“We founded Shatto Gallery in Koreatown with the intention of creating a space that fosters dialogue between the neighborhood’s vibrant Korean community and the broader LA art world,” Director Sue Park told The LA Local. Through group exhibitions highlighting both experimental practices and Korean-influenced aesthetics, Shatto has remained committed to that founding vision.
Pinto Gallery
3150 Wilshire Blvd.
Pinto operates primarily online, occasionally appearing in person at fairs and pop-ups. The gallery deals in works by major figures such as the late Virgil Abloh, Yayoi Kusama and Takashi Murakami, and founders Peric Fang and Yi Gong have built it around accessibility — a strong online presence and varied price range makes it a rare entry point for those looking to begin collecting. Keep an eye on their calendar.
‘A creative corridor’ is evolving
Together, these few blocks amount to something larger than the sum of their parts. They are evolving into something best described by the curators who inhabit them.
“Koreatown reflects the kind of environment we’re drawn to — dense, diverse, entrepreneurial and constantly evolving,” Fang told The LA Local.
Gong added that the area “has quietly emerged as a creative corridor, where independent galleries, design studios and cultural spaces coexist within a highly walkable urban fabric.”
Reyes-Chavez of Commonwealth and Council said the neighborhood’s gravitational pull is only growing stronger.
“A lot of people are opening up little spaces,” she said. “Hannah Hoffman [Gallery] moved into the neighborhood, so slowly, little by little, there’s been more traffic.”
