As the flames approached Ron Rivlin’s home in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, his teenage daughter begged him over the phone to evacuate. Rivlin made the difficult decision to flee, taking with him only three Andy Warhol pieces—the most he could carry.

Art Collector Says He Lost Warhols and Harings to Los Angeles Fire

“I grabbed those, and as I left, I saw the fire on the hill in front of me,” Rivlin recounted.https://wordpress.com/

When Rivlin returned days later, he found his home reduced to ashes. Along with it, his extensive art collection was gone. A gallery owner in West Hollywood specializing in Warhol’s works, Rivlin said he had lost over two dozen Warhols, along with pieces by Keith Haring, Damien Hirst, John Baldessari, and Kenny Scharf.

“It’s all dust now,” Rivlin said on Monday as he stood amidst the ruins of his home, built just five years ago with his art collection in mind.

The site was now a rubble-strewn pit. Wading through twisted metal and crumbled concrete, Rivlin searched for remnants of his once-prized collection. The destroyed artworks included a vibrant Warhol print of Queen Elizabeth, Campbell’s soup can prints from his living room, and a colorful portfolio of cultural icons like Superman and Mickey Mouse from the “Myths” series, previously housed in his basement.

Rivlin estimated his losses to exceed 200 artworks, amounting to millions of dollars. He has since filed an insurance claim, as art insurers brace for potentially significant payouts.

While museums in wildfire-prone Los Angeles take extensive precautions, such as fire-resistant building materials and well-maintained landscaping, private collections like Rivlin’s remain far more vulnerable. Despite having sprinklers in every room, his Warhols stood no chance against the rapidly advancing fire, which left no time to move them to safety.

“There wasn’t time to think, ‘Should we save the art?’” said Melanie Breitman, manager of Rivlin’s Sunset Boulevard gallery, Revolver.

Rivlin, 51, transitioned into the art world after a music industry career. Buying his first Warhol in 2011 sparked a passion that led to his gallery and collaborations with the FBI on identifying forgeries.

In his Palisades home, Rivlin had cultivated a vibrant social scene, hosting neighborhood gatherings and even organizing a nightclub event for residents over 40. “This was the house where everyone gathered,” said Max Abadian, a friend who also lost his home in the fire.

Among the Haring pieces Rivlin lost was “Andy Mouse,” a 1986 screen print of Warhol depicted as a Mickey Mouse-like figure, and “Totem,” a 1988 carved plywood sculpture. Adding to the emotional toll was the loss of irreplaceable family photo albums.

Fearing for his gallery’s safety as fires continue to threaten the area, Rivlin has handlers on standby to transport the remaining art to safety if necessary.

Returning to his neighborhood, Rivlin was struck by the scale of devastation. “I surrendered to the loss,” he said. “It wasn’t just my property—it was everyone’s. I lost hope and thought it’d be impossible to rebuild.”

Yet, on Monday, while sifting through the wreckage, he found small signs of resilience. He discovered a filing cabinet from his office, a 14-foot Halloween skeleton base, and part of his house number, “750,” with the zero bent into a horseshoe shape.

Amid the destruction, one piece of art endured: a stainless steel sculpture by Michael Benisty, depicting two figures holding hands, designed to appear partially disintegrated. Though toppled, it remained intact.

“Today gave me hope,” Rivlin said.