LA Art Show Kicks Off on Valentine’s Day With Global Lineup

LA’s largest art fair will explore the intersection of memory, humanity and AI.

The LA Art Show returns to the Los Angeles Convention Center Feb. 14 to 18 to kick off the city’s 2024 art season. 

Both  Black History Month and artificial intelligence  play a role in this year’s fair as well as key initiatives that support the next generation of artists like Athletes for Life (founded by former NFL’s Greg Bell) and the “Soul of Your City” photography competition as well as Young Masters.

The opening night premiere party on Valentine’s Day will be hosted by actress Lucy Hale in collaboration with LA Art Show’s new charity partner, American Heart Association, which is celebrating its centennial. The LA Art Show will donate 15% of proceeds from every ticket to the American Heart Association’s Life is Why campaign. 

Guided by the leadership of LA Art Show producer and director Kassandra Voyagis, the 29th edition marks the return of the fair’s signature curated program DIVERSEartLA. 

“We are excited to continue facilitating this pioneering program,” said Voyagis. “It ignites important dialogue through art and helps to deepen our understanding of what it means to be human.” 

Curated by Marisa Caichiolo, DIVERSEartLA connects local and international art institutions to generate dialogue through art while also honoring the biodiversity of Los Angeles. Last year’s iteration featured nine interdisciplinary projects examining the climate crisis, including inspiring works by artist and ecofeminist Judy Baca and renowned Korean artist Han Ho. This 2024 program explores the intersection of memory, humanity, and AI through a selection of art, technology, and multimedia exhibitions. 

“Memory is a fundamental aspect of human experience that shapes our individual and collective identities,” said Caichiolo. “From AI-generated artworks to immersive virtual reality experiences that challenge our sense of self, the works in this edition invites us to consider the opportunities and challenges presented by AI and memory while also raising important questions about the ethical and social implications of relying on AI as a tool for memory and identity.” 

Programming to Ignite Dialogue 

DIVERSEartLA is partnering with seven international art institutions to explore these intersections.  Amongst the participants, the Nevada Museum of Art will present The Journey, (pictured above) by contemporary artist Guillermo Bert. The installation features a series of 20 highly-detailed, life-sized wood sculptures of actual immigrants employed as frontline workers. Bert’s multimedia work explores how ancient traditions and modern technology merge to create narratives of identity, human memory, immigration, culture and humanity.  

The Museum of Contemporary Art in Bogotá presents Mythstories by multimedia artist Carlos Castro Arias and curated by Gustavo Adolfo Ortiz Serrano. Appropriating the style and iconography of medieval tapestry, Castro uses anachronisms and the re-contextualization of found objects to create connections across times and cultures. His work experiments with myth, history, and AI, and explores individual and collective identity. 

LP Gallery from South Korea will feature renowned artist Dain Yoon Yoon, known for using her own body as a canvas, painting on her skin to create surreal self-portraits that often trick the eye with 3D shading. With her unique artistry, Dain Yoon’s pieces are playful yet profound, reflecting her emotional states and the complexity of identity in our modern world.

To time with Black History Month, the Tanya Weddemire Gallery is set to exhibit the incredible talents of four pioneering black artists, exploring a range of themes, including identity, culture and resilience: Guy Stanley Philoche Give Us Our Flowers, Serron Green Invisible, Gregory Saint Amand Play Time and O’Neil Scott Distant Memories. 

Fostering Talent 

L.A.’s Fabrik Projects Gallery welcomes The Soul of Your City exhibition, a visual journey and the culmination of a global photography competition aimed at capturing the hidden spirit and true identity of cities through the lenses of local photographers. The Soul of Your City competition was born out of a desire to explore and reveal the unseen aspects of urban living. Works showcased in this exhibition are the winners of the competition.

Cynthia Corbett Young Masters: Upcoming exhibition Young Masters Art Prize, presented by Cynthia Corbett Gallery, London, represents an international initiative committed to supporting and promoting emerging talents from diverse backgrounds. Founded by gallerist Corbett in 2009, Young Masters provides a platform for artists who draw inspiration from artistic traditions of the past. Select artists from each of the six editions will be featured at this year’s LA Art Show. This showcase stands out for its cultural diversity and strong representation of female-identifying artists. 

Community Initiative 

Athletes for Life: In a new collaboration, the LA Art Show 2024 and Expanded Learning or EXL and Athletes for Life or AFL Foundation launch the Southern California Art “n” the Schools art contest, inviting Southern California students to submit their artwork. Winning artwork will be displayed at this year’s show in the sponsors’ lounge, along with works from the art collection of Greg Bell, founder of Athletes for Life and former NFL Pro Bowl running back. 

Presenting over 120 exhibiting galleries, museums and nonprofits, the 2024 LA Art Show is committed to creating the most comprehensive contemporary art experience possible. 

Details: www.LAArtShow.com