Global Cultures Converge: Latin American Pavilion Shines at LA Art Show, Jan. 7–11

Marking its 31st year, the LA Art Show, Los Angeles’ largest art fair, returns to the LA Convention Center from Jan. 7 to 11. Under the leadership of director and producer Kassandra Voyagis, the fair will present a world-class art experience featuring more than 90 exhibitors. 

Highlights include Dublin’s Oliver Sears Gallery, the fair’s first participant from Ireland; Palm Beach’s Provident Fine Art with a solo exhibition of Sylvester Stallone’s abstract works; and London’s Pontone Gallery showcasing self-taught artist and renowned drummer Chris Rivers. The strong UK presence continues with first-time participants such as London’s John Martin Gallery and Quantum Contemporary Art.

Switzerland’s LICHT FELD Gallery will present the first public showing in more than 40 years of Karl A. Meyer’s woodcut prints, created during his transformative 1980s period on New York’s Crosby Street among the era’s most influential artists — work that fills a notable gap in the art history of that time. 

Corridor Contemporary will showcase internationally renowned Israeli artist Yigal Ozeri, celebrated for his large-scale, cinematic portraits of young women set against lush, evocative landscapes. LA Art Show 2026 will also continue its strong Korean presence with 15 participating galleries, including J&J Art, presenting “Elegant Freedom” by Jinny Suh. Through traditional Hanji paper and vibrant color, Suh’s nature-inspired works offer emotional depth and an immersive experience that celebrates Korean culture through a modern lens.

Latin American Pavilion

The 2026 introduction of the Latin American Pavilion, led by curator Marisa Caichiolo, marks a milestone in the international fair landscape and will advance LA Art Show’s global mission by spotlighting the talent of emerging artists from other regions of the American continent. In a notable recognition, Caichiolo, who also serves as curator of the LA Art Show’s DIVERSEartLA program, was recently selected to co-curate Chile’s official pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale of Art in 2026.

Focusing on memory, migration and identity, the pavilion engages in deep ancestral inquiry into power dynamics of artist representation within the gallery system. It invites audiences to reconsider provenance, belonging and the evolving future of Latin American art — transforming how works move and resonate across borders. 

“At a moment when immigration issues continue to disproportionately impact Latin American communities, it is especially important to provide a platform for these artists,” said Caichiolo. “Their perspectives are vital to a more complete and equitable understanding of contemporary art, yet they remain underrepresented at major fairs. This pavilion seeks to amplify their voices and affirm the cultural and creative contributions of Latin America on the global stage.”

Caichiolo invited a select group of galleries to form the pavilion, chosen for their representation of a diverse range of Latin American artists who embody the region’s voices and perspectives, including:

Artier Fine Art Gallery presents “In the Mouth of the Jaguar: Myths Reimagined” — a groundbreaking exhibition uniting 10 contemporary Latin American artists who explore, reclaim and reimagine the ancestral mythologies of the Americas. Treating myth as a living force — a jaguar with open jaws — ready to devour and reshape meaning for today’s world, the show features works by Natasha Grey, Ender Martos, Dario Ortiz, Moises Ortiz, Luigi Fantini, Brigitte Briones, Ariel Vargassal, Guillermo Bert, Miguel Osuna and Carlos Luna.

The curatorial statement reads in part: “Their works traverse mediums including painting, sculpture, textiles, kinetic installations, and augmented reality—blending sacred symbols with digital futures, ecological grief with feminist resistance, and personal memory with collective myth.”

“This is myth in motion,” says Ariel Vargassal. “These artists are shapeshifters, using ancient stories to speak to migration, decolonization, and the urgency of now.”

Verse Gallery will feature six artists, including Maquiamelo, whose striking aesthetics reinterpret pop culture and identity; Esteban Jácome, who weaves emotional narratives through bold forms and color; Maca Vivas, who explores femininity through her delicate yet powerful “Fluffy Crowns”; and Johnny López, who fuses ancestral cultures with contemporary power and language, among others.

Building Bridges Art Exchange debuts Latin American Focus, spotlighting transnational voices shaped by resilience, cultural exchange and evolving futures. The presentation features Tadeo Muleiro’s latest project and works from the Rubinstein Collection, including pieces by Mariana Tellerías, Liliana Porter and Andrés Paredes. The booth also showcases selections from the Pangue International Video Art Festival, created by BBAX with Chile’s AAL Museum, featuring artists such as first-prize winner Mónica Arreola from Mexico, Joaquín Vargas from Argentina, Máximo Corvalán Pincheira from Chile and Carolina Bazo from Perú.

DIVERSEartLA Returns

The fair’s non-commercial educational platform, DIVERSEartLA, also curated by Caichiolo, will examine the evolving role of biennials and museums within contemporary art ecosystems. The program highlights both their complementary and conflicting functions as spaces for innovation, dialogue and public engagement.

Time: 6 to 10 p.m. Jan. 7, 12 to 8 p.m. Jan. 8, 9, 12 to 8 p.m. Jan. 10, 12 to 6 p.m., Jan. 11

Cost: General admission, one day ticket $40

Details: www.laartshow.com

Venue: Los Angeles Convention Center, West Hall 1201 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles