Two of the most distinct creative minds in fashion and fine art are taking over a West Hollywood gallery — and the chairs alone are worth the trip
Written by Eric B. Thornton
Look at those chairs. Seriously — just look at them.
They’re classic mid-century pieces, the kind of clean, sculptural silhouette you’d expect to find in a well-curated West Hollywood home. And then you notice what’s covering them: bold graphic patterns that shift between black and white and a full blast of color, the kind of design that makes your eyes do a double-take and keeps pulling you back in. They look like someone took a fine art painting and wrapped it around a piece of furniture, because that’s essentially exactly what happened.
This is Parallel Practices: Tailored Structures & Kinetic Surfaces, a collaborative exhibition between ETAI LA and artist Felipe Pantone, opening July 17 at albertz benda in Los Angeles. It runs through August 8, and the opening night is July 17 at 6 PM if you want to be there for the debut.
So who are these two? Felipe Pantone started out as a graffiti artist at twelve years old, the kind of kid who grew up painting walls before eventually getting a Fine Art degree and building one of the more distinctive careers in contemporary art. His work is immediately recognizable: large-scale paintings that use repeating patterns and bold color to create the illusion of movement. You look at them and they seem to vibrate. It’s the kind of thing that photographs well but hits completely different in person.
On the other side: Etai Drori, the founder of LA-based luxury label ETAI LA. Drori launched the brand in 2023 and has quickly become the go-to for custom work. His client list includes Billie Eilish, Rosalía, and J Balvin, which tells you everything you need to know about where he sits in the fashion conversation right now. The brand is built around premium materials — Japanese denim, Mongolian cashmere, and the kind of craftsmanship that doesn’t need to announce itself.
This is the first time the two have ever collaborated, and the concept is genuinely interesting. They went around Los Angeles sourcing vintage mid-century furniture and then completely reimagined each piece. Drori reworked the structures and shapes, Pantone designed custom fabric printed by Italian textile house Limonta, and the two rebuilt everything from the ground up. The result is furniture that functions as fine art without pretending it’s something it’s not. You could sit in these chairs. You probably wouldn’t want to, because you’d be too busy staring at them.
The whole show is set inside albertz benda’s LA gallery on Marmont Lane in West Hollywood — right near Chateau Marmont. The gallery itself is actually a mid-century home, which makes the setting feel less like a white-box gallery experience and more like walking into someone’s very well-designed living room. Alongside the furniture pieces, Pantone’s wall paintings will fill the space — so you’re getting the full picture of both practices at once, all in conversation with each other under one roof.
This is a genuinely cool show that doesn’t happen often two artists from completely different worlds finding real common ground in craft and design. I’m looking forward to seeing it in person. If you’re in LA this summer, it’s worth making the trip to Marmont Lane.
ETAI x Felipe Pantone: Parallel Practices: Tailored Structures & Kinetic Surfaces
Opens July 17 and runs through August 8, 2026 at albertz benda Los Angeles, 8260 Marmont Lane, Los Angeles, CA 90069. Private opening: July 17 at 6 PM.
Follow: @felipepantone | @etai.la | @albertzbenda | etaila.com | felipepantone.com
