By Darlene Donloe
Contributing Writer
LOS ANGELES — The 31st edition of the LA Art Show takes over the Los Angeles Convention Center Jan. 7-11, offering some of the latest works in global contemporary art.
Considered more than just a gathering of galleries and international art stars, this year’s show is described by promoters as an exploration of art’s power to circulate, transform and ground itself in reality.
“The LA Art Show is more than an art fair, it’s a cultural destination that brings together the global and local art worlds in one dynamic experience,” said LA Art Show Producer and Director Kassandra Voyagis. “Whether you’re a seasoned collector, a curious first-time visitor, or someone passionate about creativity, there’s something for everyone at LA Art Show.
“Many fairs are inaccessible to the average person, so we pride ourselves on catering to both the next generation of art enthusiasts and seasoned collectors,” Voyagis added. “There’s truly something for everyone.”
Voyagis said attendees can expect a dynamic showcase of painting, sculpture, works on paper, installation, photography and immersive performances that will challenge, inspire and captivate.
“With more than 90 exhibitors from around the world, the show offers an opportunity to see a wide spectrum of artwork in one place from renowned galleries and international talent to emerging practitioners and experimental voices,” Voyagis said.
When curating the LA Art Show, Voyagis said she “Looks for work that feels relevant and unique while still resonating with a broad, international audience.”
“I always seek out galleries and artists with a clear point of view who are pushing ideas, materials or narratives forward rather than following trends,” she said. I look for work that speaks across borders but also connects to L.A.’s diverse communities and histories.
“Ultimately, the goal is to create a fair that goes beyond the marketplace. One that feels intellectually engaging, emotionally resonant and reflective of the complexity of contemporary art today.”
This year’s fair features about 25 countries with international highlights including Ireland’s first participant, Dublin’s Oliver Sears Gallery, and Palm Beach’s Provident Fine Art with a solo presentation of Sylvester Stallone’s abstract works.
Highlighting the dynamic intersection of music and contemporary art, this year’s fair will feature works by two notable British musicians: Paul Simonon of the Clash and Chris Rivers of Heaven’s Basement.
Attending for the first time, Art of Contemporary Africa is presenting works from Esther Mahlangu, who is a globally acclaimed visual artist and much-loved cultural ambassador of the Ndebele nation. Mahlangu was born in 1935 and has made a valuable contribution to contemporary art over eight decades.
Exhibitions include the first public showing in over four decades of Karl A. Meyer’s 1980s woodcut prints at Switzerland’s LICHT FELD Gallery, and cinematic figurative works by Israeli artist Yigal Ozeri presented by Corridor Contemporary. A strong Korean presence continues, including J&J Art’s “Elegant Freedom” by Jinny Suh, whose Hanji-based works reinterpret Korean tradition through a contemporary lens.
The fair will debut its new Latin American Pavilion, curated by Marisa Caichiolo, who was recently selected to co-curate Chile’s pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale.
Centered on themes of memory, migration, and identity, the pavilion explores representation, provenance, and the evolving trajectory of Latin American art.
“At a moment when immigration issues continue to disproportionately impact Latin American communities, it is especially important to provide a platform for these artists,” Caichiolo said.
The fair’s signature non-commercial platform, DIVERSEartLA, also curated by Caichiolo, returns with “The Biennials, Art Institutions and Museums in the Contemporary Art Ecosystem,” exploring how contemporary art evolves through global biennials and museums, and how the two complement and challenge one another. This edition will feature five unique art installations in addition to a video presentation that displays leading international biennials and their practices.
The platform highlights their shared role as engines of artistic innovation, public engagement, and cultural dialogue.
The five installations include:
• Marcos Ramírez ERRE: Biennials of the Past, Themes of the Present, curated by Alma Ruiz. Recognized as a key figure in borderland cultural practices, Ramírez reflects on the biennials he participated in from 1997 to 2014 across Cuba, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Russia, Spain and the United States, revealing how the themes explored then remain just as urgent today.
• Casablanca Biennial 2026 (Morocco): AGUAS by Eugenia Vargas Pereira, curated by Marisa Caichiolo. A community-driven installation centered on ritual, environmental memory and the cleansing of local waterways. Focused on the Los Angeles River, it becomes a large “analog darkroom” with 55 illuminated trays holding submerged river portraits. Volunteers may add selfies to join a collective reflection on water, climate vulnerability and ecological care.
• Gwangju Biennial (Korea): The Roads in You by Yoon Chung Han, curated by Ho Tzu Nyen. An interactive biometric work that scans participants’ vein patterns and maps them onto road networks, revealing parallels between the body and the environments we inhabit. Using vein recognition, image processing, and AI, it generates striking visualizations and optional 3D-printed keepsakes that prompt reflection on the human-environment connection.
• World Textile Art Biennial (Miami): Forest Memory by La Rueca Collective (Argentina), curated by Pilar Tobon. A textile-and-video installation evoking disappearing forests, addressing the environmental and social impact of deforestation. Using weaving as a metaphor for identity and interconnectedness, the work serves as both remembrance and ecological warning.
• Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art (Reston, USA): Land-escape and the Aura of Distance by Arden Bendler Browning, co-curated by Jonell Logan and Hannah Barco. A mixed-reality installation where visitors navigate painterly virtual environments derived from the artist’s travel sketches. Layered projections and a hybrid natural-mechanical soundtrack explores perception, climate anxiety and escape, blending digital and physical worlds.
There will be a special video presentation spotlighting six influential global biennials, underscoring their pivotal role in shaping today’s contemporary art ecosystem: NYLAAT (New York), Cuenca (Ecuador), NOmade, SACO (Chile), the World Textile Art Biennial (Miami), and the Gwangju Biennale (Korea).
Voyagis said that with the impressive lineup, the fair’s growing global presence is being showcased.
“Although it was an unimaginable time for the city, we are thankful that so many people came out for last year’s remarkable 30th anniversary edition during which we got to support the artistic community while also paying homage to the resilience of Los Angeles,” she said. “We are thrilled to once again unite galleries, artists, and enthusiasts from across the globe to participate in and celebrate the city’s rich cultural legacy.”
For the third consecutive year, the show will support the American Heart Association’s Life is Why campaign, with 15% of the purchase price from every ticket benefiting the organization, with a maximum donation commitment of $45,000.
“The campaign encourages individuals to celebrate and protect their reasons for living healthier, longer lives,” Voyagis said.
The L.A. Convention Center is located at 1201 S Figueroa St. Los Angeles. Tickets start at $40.
Information: www.laartshow.com.
Darlene Donloe is a freelance reporter for Wave Newspapers who covers South Los Angeles. She can be reached at ddonloe@gmail.com.
