Words by Guadalupe Zaragoza
The LA Art Show celebrated 25 years of globe-spanning art and culture at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 5, 2020. Featuring the largest lineup of art in the city’s history, the show was curated by Marisa Caichiolo and hosted by actress Sofia Vergara.
Following two decades of explosive growth, the LA Art Show initiated the city’s art season celebrating pride and exhibiting over a hundred galleries from 18 countries and an assortment of modern and contemporary art that filled 260,000 square feet of exhibition space.
Spanning two floors, the exhibit shared several pieces created by Oscar-nominated artist and Academy Award winner Kazo Hiro. The visual artist featured innovative pieces, including three-dimensional portraits of historical figures that ranged from Jimi Hendrix to Frida Kahlo.
Other exhibitions included Pyramids, created by Gronk and presented by LACMA and the UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center, I See You, I am Seen, curated by George Lunda Peña and presented by The Broad, Dactiloscopia Rose: Video Art and Queer Constructions, curated by Nestor Prieto and presented by La Neomudéjar Museum as well as eclectic performances and interactive spaces.
The Museum of Latin American Art presented a colorful installation surrounding themes of diversity and the LGBTQ communities in collaboration with the world. Created by renowned Argentine artistic duo, Chiachio and Giannone, the unfurled 120-feet-long textile flag included the help of 3,000 members of the Los Angeles and Long Beach community.
Alongside live performances and discussions showcased at the event, live paintings were created by artist Robert Vargas, a recent talent featured in a previous issue of Basic Magazine, Identity. He is celebrated for his high-energy live events, mixed-media portraits and giant murals. With the recent passing of Kobe Bryant, Vargas created a live painting as tribute.
“For 25 years, LA Art Show has been raising the profile of the LA art scene, as well as bringing more and more compelling art to our market,” says LA Art Show producer Kim Martindale. “I’m excited by the clear impact this has had on our city and looking forward to expanding the show even further.”
Proceeds from the event benefited St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
