Various Small Fires

Various Small Fires, founded by Esther Kim Varet in 2012, has grown from a single LA gallery into a three-city operation spanning Los Angeles, Seoul, and Dallas. The flagship 5,000-square-foot Hollywood space, designed by Johnston MarkLee, features an outdoor sculpture gallery and runs on 100% solar energy -- infrastructure choices that reflect the gallery's commitment to environmental responsibility without reducing it to a marketing talking point. The audio art corridor is a signature element that no other commercial gallery has replicated: a dedicated space for sound-based work that acknowledges the medium's growing importance in contemporary art without ghettoizing it. This kind of infrastructural innovation -- building physical spaces that accommodate art the market has not yet figured out how to sell -- is what separates galleries with genuine curatorial vision from those that merely follow trends. Kim Varet's program emphasizes climate consciousness, diverse voices, and international connections -- themes that could read as a checklist in lesser hands but here are substantiated by a roster and exhibition history that demonstrate genuine engagement. The Seoul location connects the gallery to Korea's booming art infrastructure; Dallas extends its reach into the American market's fastest-growing collector base. Each location serves the program's ambitions rather than simply expanding the gallery's footprint.