Convention Center hosts 24th annual LA Art Show

The LA Art Show is back with hundreds of innovative exhibitors displaying thousands of provocative pieces from Jan. 23 to Jan. 27. Founded in 1995, the LA Art Show has grown into one of the most diverse international contemporary art shows. Taking place at the Los Angeles Convention Center, the art show has over 20,000 square feet of space dedicated to it, making it the largest art fair on the West Coast.

This year, the LA Art Show will feature 120 galleries, each with its own unique theme ranging from contemporary and modern art, ink paintings, historical pieces, pop art and photography. The show floor also features the work of local and international artists alike. Aside from pieces available for purchase, the programming will include performances and exhibitions throughout the week. Recent years have seen an uptick in attendance and a growing collection of artwork. This year seems to follow that trend.

Australian Aboriginal artist Gabriella Possum Nungurrayi is showcasing “Grandmother’s Country,” a work based on the spiritual stories of native Australia. Danish artist Mads Christensen’s “Certain Angles” uses light to immerse viewers in a unique visual experience. French artist Emmanuel Boos is bringing in a mesmerizing solid block monolith that captures his unpredictable yet systematic approach to artwork. And Korean digital artist Lee Lee Nam’s reinterpretations of classic European and Asian works will challenge viewers’ perceptions of traditional art.  

L.A.-based graffiti artist RISK is making his debut at the LA Art Show with two sculptures from his ongoing series, “Shark.” These provocative pieces comment on the different forms that predators take and are used to comment on police predation by drawing on the Buddhist tradition of “embracing what you fear.” One of the pieces is his controversial sculpture of a bisected police cruiser, while the other is a shark made of machine parts.

Renowned L.A. native Mike Stilkey is bringing his original artwork, which uses the one side of a pile of books as the canvas for his own vision. His pieces generally create whimsical characters that exude emotional depth and wondrous mystery as they grace enormous mounds of novels.  His poem, “The Lady of Arlington,” is on display at the show this week, presented by bG Gallery.

Considering this year’s catalogue of exhibitions, the show is shaping up to be a big week for art and conversation in L.A. Tickets for a single day are $30, while a four-day pass starts at $60 with part of the proceeds going to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.