THE BIG PICTURE
The Los Angeles Art Show has grown from a cozy little gathering into a grand scale extravaganza. The Art Show has become so popular that it’s outgrown its space at the Barker Hangar and moved into new digs downtown. Now in its fourteenth year, the LAAS has nearly doubled in size with more than 150 international galleries and exhibitors. Between the 150,000 square feet of display space and 36-foot high ceilings, the Los Angeles Convention Center can accommodate just about every kind of art installation. Organizers hailed this year’s showcase as the “most eclectic and innovative show to date.”
Hot, new artists had their work on display alongside museum-quality masterpieces that sell for millions. Favorites like Warhol and Lichtenstein were all around. Plus, if you had a little extra dough, they were all for sale. Despite the recession, business looked brisk.
Locals like Rhea Pearlman joined the parade of VIPs and collectors who turned out for the opening night gala. Art aficionados sipped cosmos and snacked on tasty treats while checking out an endless selection of imaginative art.
Whether elegant or eye-popping, the oils were hard to miss. One actress took a shine to a huge modern canvas done in shades of tangerine, crimson and cobalt blue. “Everybody Loves Raymond’s” Brad Garrett lingered near the old masters in gilded frames. From classic to contemporary, every space had a surprise. In one corner, you’d come across a gigantic tube of red lipstick, while another featured a far-out take on Hello Kitty.
The show is sponsored by the Fine Art Dealers Association, which hopes to support a new generation of young collectors, artists and art enthusiasts. Proceeds from the sneak peek will support the Environmental Media Association, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and Inner City Arts.
Art wise, 2009 is turning into a banner year on the local scene. It started out in Santa Monica with an always-enjoyable trip to photo la. A week later, the contemporary showcase Art LA drew an edgy, international crowd. It continued with the Los Angeles Art Show, and a series of special exhibits, screenings, lectures. And the Los Angeles Antique Show is coming up next.
It’s all helping Los Angeles build on its reputation as a major center for art. Art LA’s Tim Fleming says his show gets bigger and better every year.
“We’ve become an internationally acclaimed art-world event,” Fleming said. “People fly in from Europe, New York and down the West Coast to buy art and enjoy a cultural weekend packed with contemporary art activities. What’s more, we have developed into a local community platform to highlight the art scene regionally and to the world.”
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