SANTA MONICA, CA, UNITED STATES, February 25, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — In celebration of LA Art Week and Frieze Los Angeles, renowned Angeleno artist Sarah Robarts unveils a vibrant installation of reclaimed, mixed-media surfboards on the exterior walls of Bayside Hotel. The large-scale exterior installation honors Los Angeles’ dynamic art scene while complementing the hotel’s mid-century architecture and its proximity to the Pacific Ocean.
The installation, running through March, features vintage, recycled, and reclaimed surfboards—objects that inherently carry history within their fiberglass and foam. Having been shaped by salt, sun, and time, each board serves as both material and muse. Rather than obscuring their past, Robarts preserves elements of each board’s original surface, allowing traces of history to remain visible and creating a dialogue between past and present.
Defined by a deliberate, layered technique, paint is applied, sanded back, and revealed again to create depth and dimension. Earlier gestures remain visible beneath subsequent layers, emphasizing the tension between concealment and exposure. The work explores themes of memory, transformation, and renewal. These boards are not treated as blank canvases; instead, they function as witnesses—surfaces that retain the history of every mark and passage of time.
Based on the Southern California coastline, Robarts maintains a deep connection to the ocean. The Pacific serves not merely as backdrop, but as an enduring force and influence—powerful, unpredictable, and humbling. This reverence is reflected throughout the installation.
Displayed vertically against the hotel’s exterior walls, the surfboards take on a totemic presence. On water, they function as vessels—enabling movement across something far greater than oneself. On land, they stand as markers or guardians, holding the memory of motion, risk, joy, and surrender. By reclaiming and repainting these boards, the installation extends their lifecycle while honoring the coastline that shaped them. Each piece becomes a conversation between material, place, and respect for the ocean overlooking Santa Monica during this celebrated week of contemporary art.
A painter for more than 40 years, Robarts was born in Uganda, raised in Kenya, and has lived and worked in Israel, France, Canada, and the United Kingdom before settling in the United States. In 2000, she relocated to Palm Springs, where she renovated a hotel that became a gathering place for creatives and tastemakers. Her work is characterized by painterly, mixed-media layering across canvas and unconventional surfaces. Drawing from the vibrant palette of East Africa and the distinct hues of California sunlight, her compositions often feature draughtsman-like markings reminiscent of architectural studies.
Kate Lane
Ballantiens PR
kate@ballantinespr.com
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