CAA Agent and Collector Thao Nguyen Reveals the Art Exhibits to See as L.A. Reopens

During the pandemic, CAA agent Thao Nguyen embarked on something counterintuitive: a live events company, Constellation Immersive. An affiliate of CAA and theatrical entertainment group Crossroads Live, it brought a drive-thru Elf on the Shelf experience to the Fairplex in late 2020. Up next: “In July, we’re launching the DiscOasis, a sonic experience that unites dance, roller skating, collective joy and performance art at the South Coast Botanic Garden. We’re really lucky to have the legendary Nile Rodgers as our Groovemaster, curating our music,” says Nguyen. (DiscoOasis runs from July 16 to Sept. 6, $34-$94, 26300 Crenshaw Blvd., thediscoasis.com.)

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Nguyen, who oversees the art collection in CAA’s L.A. and N.Y. offices, is herself a collector. She recently got a chance to see art for the first time in person post-lockdown. “It was energizing to be around people,” she says, adding that looking at works during the past year online was “not satisfying. It’s hard to grasp emotion from a JPEG.”

Here are the four exhibits that wowed her.

“Say Can You See” is the first solo exhibition in L.A. of Jamaican-American artist Nari Ward. “It was incredibly powerful to see his works together, recontextualizing objects into new meaning.” (Through Aug. 21, at Jeffrey Deitch, 925 N. Orange Drive, deitch.com.)

“Made in L.A. 2020: A Version,” The Hammer’s biennial, is presented partly at The Huntington. The show includes filmmaker/video artist (and Nguyen client) Kahlil Joseph’s BLKNWS video installation, a broadcast that, as the catalogue puts it, “highlights the vastness of the Black experience with sources from social media, popular culture and actual news footage.” (Through Aug. 1, hammer.ucla.edu.)

“World as Lover, World as Self” features dreamlike paintings by Anja Salonen. “Exquisite,” says Nguyen. (Through July 20, at Five Car Garage, Santa Monica, address given upon appointment, info@emmagrayhq.com.)

“The Space Between” is the final series of paintings by iconic conceptual artist John Baldessari, who died last year. “June 17 would have been his 90th birthday. He was so universally loved,” says Nguyen. (Through Sept. 11, at Sprüth Magers, 5900 Wilshire Blvd., spruethmagers.com.)

Nguyen can’t wait to visit the Felix Art Fair (July 29-Aug. 1, felixfair.com) at the Hollywood Roosevelt; the first-ever Gallery Weekend Los Angeles (the same weekend); and “Hauser & Wirth’s show of all their ‘L.A.’ artists,” she says. “It will be historic, from the late Luchita Hurtado to Henry Taylor, Larry Bell and Diana Thater.” (July 8-Aug. 22, hauserwirth.com.)

“I’m also looking forward to the Underground Museum reopening later this year with a timely Noah Davis tribute,” says Nguyen (who is co-head of Constellation Immersive with Marty LaSalle), “and David Zwirner and Hauser & Wirth opening new spaces in L.A. next year, proof that L.A. is an international art destination.”

This story first appeared in the June 23 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.

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