Art Fair Week Commences with the LA Art Show Celebrating 30 Years

Art Fair Week Commences with the LA Art Show – by Genie Davis

The LA Art Show celebrated its 30th anniversary with an Opening Night Premiere featuring actress and producer Jenna Dewan as celebrity host, but for Los Angeles residents especially, the biggest start of the night was artist Robert Vargas, creating live a 24-foot mural called “Heroes,” honoring first responders and LA firefighters, some of whom attended the premiere.

The mural will continue to be live-painted and completed during the art show’s run. The evening itself was a benefit for the American Heart Association’s Life is Why™ Campaign and the California Community Foundation’s Wildfire Recovery Fund.

Guests enjoyed Pink’s Hot Dogs (including a vegan version), gelato, champagne, and mini cookies along with other selections from pasta to sandiwiches and cookies.

But how about the art? LA Art Show’s independent curatorial project, DIVERSEartLA, has run for many years at the event, curated by Marisa Caichiolo, and this year featured a retrospective that included a goregous video installation by artist Luciana Abait among so many other important works, in a collaboration with museums from around the world, including LACMA, the Broad and MoLAA.

A separate installation created by Reflectspace Gallery, the Glendale Library Arts and Culture & Culture Nomad by artist Han Ho represented a stunning achievement, above.

From a towering orange bear in the event entrance area to lustrous mirror and gemstone animals to Montague Gallery’s superb collection of glass art, Ryan Art’s impressive selection of sculptural, multi-media, and painted works, lush abstracts by Mark Acetelli, and the photographic work of Maureen Van Leeuwen Haldeman and others at the Fabrik booths, there was plenty to see inside the South Hall of the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Outside, a terrific particpatory art gumball machine was manned by artist Iz Infine for some additonal fun and a commentary on the true egalitarian nature of art.

My extensive photo album follows – enjoy and please feel free to share. Frieze is coming up next, along with The Other Art Fair.