The LA Art Show, the most comprehensive international contemporary art show in America, is honored to officially kick-off the city’s 2021 art season at the Los Angeles Convention Center on July 29, 2021. This special Summer Edition–on the heels of the landmark 25 year anniversary–takes a closer look at some of the latest technological trends in the art world, while still offering a traditional lens art from around the globe. In order to best cater to their loyal and large fan base, the LA Art Show has developed some unique programming to highlight some of the most interesting advancements in art including AR, VR, and NFTs, providing visitors a space to observe, learn, and enjoy. This new programming, in addition to the design and more classic mediums the show is known for, was designed with the viewers in mind, exposing people to something new and making digital art and technology more accessible. With this, the LA Art Show will be the first LIVE show to join the NFT conversation.
Sitting among the exciting additions and traditional staples, is the return of DIVERSEartLA, an important and highly-anticipated part of the show curated by Marisa Caichiolo. This part of the show will focus on the presence, contributions, research, and documentation of women and non binary artists at the forefront of work at the intersection of art, science, and technology, represented by guest museums and institutions.
“DIVERSEartLA will be an examination and a compilation of material, as well as an exhibition featuring the work of women and nonbinary artists who have played a central role in the development of new media practices within art institutions and through history,” says Caichiolo.
Exploring DIVERSEartLA has the feel of exploring a museum, a museum that highlights and elevates female and non-binary artists, examining science and technology through this lens. Continuing the theme of juxtaposing old and new, this fan-favorite section will expand upon previous years into new, more interactive and technological ground. A number of organizations have already confirmed programming including the San Marcos Museum of Art (MASM) from Lima, Perú, which will bring a new media project by Peruvian artist Angie Bonino. “THE SYMPHONY OF NOW,” consists of a video installation, and interactive sound installation focusing on the Andean techno de-colonial shamanism. Museum La Neomudejar from Madrid is bringing _DATA | ergo sum | RELOADED by artist Ana Marcos, an interactive art installation that visualizes the capability of viewing machines using artificial intelligence to extract data by a simple observation of visitors. Art Museum of the Americas (AMA) has joined with a special project curated by Fabian Goncálves, that will feature a compilation of material and an exhibition of the work of women artists who have played a central role in the development of new media practices throughout history and women and non-binary people whose forward-thinking practices are currently reshaping the field. The UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center is bringing a special project curated by Chon Noriega titled Immersive Distancing by LA-based artists Carmen Argote and Zeynep Abes, which will examine recent media art produced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Continuing the Los Angeles presence, Now Art LA and Building Bridges Art Exchange have joined forces as local non-profit organizations to exhibit the work Agua by Luciana Abait, a video projection created as part of LUMINEX Project by Now Art LA. This work is inspired by the flood-myth motif that occurs in many cultures, in which water acts a healing and rebirth tool, often referencing ideas of creation, purification, and sustaining life.
The most unconventional and anticipated contribution to the section is Tiffany Trenda, a multidisciplinary performance artist, known for exploring the relationship of the female body to today’s ever-changing technologies. She is working with DIVERSEartLA to safely bring live performance to the art fair, coordinating a viewing experience for attendees via QR code. Each person can use their own smartphone to interact with her in real-time via volumetric video recording.
Continuing the trend of unconventional and highly buzzed-about programming, the LA Art Show is thrilled to announce programming for the NFT element of the show. Vellum LA, the first physical gallery for NFT-backed digital art in Los Angeles, launching in September, presents Sea Change, a physical NFT exhibition in partnership with SuperRare, the show’s official marketplace partner. Created with the goal of reinventing art collecting for the digital age, SuperRare is a pioneering online, peer-to-peer marketplace for premium, single edition NFTs built on the Ethereum blockchain. Vellum LA’s goal is to meaningfully situate the digital and crypto art communities within the context of art history, while also educating the public on the potential of NFTs to impact the future of art and culture. This partnership is founded on the importance of bringing digital art to a wider audience, starting with Sea Change. This exhibition features work by new media and digital artists whose work embraces our inevitable technological immersion, exploring the new language, materiality, and logic of the metaverse. The exhibition will include Claudia Hart, Krista Kim, Marjan Moghaddam, and Itzel Yard (Ix Shells), with more participants to be announced in the weeks to come. Curated by Nxt Museum curator Jesse Damiani and StandardVision curator Sinziana Velicescu, the artworks will be exhibited on StandardVision’s LumaCanvas displays, developed specifically for Sea Change and designed to be the first ever collector/museum-grade digital art display canvases.
The 2021 roster would not be complete without the return of some of the LA Art Show’s favorite galleries including Arcadia Contemporary, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, Simard Bilodeau Contemporary, and Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery from London for the lineup of Modern + Contemporary. The show will once again have an international presence with the Pigment Gallery returning from Spain, In The Gallery returning from Denmark, and work from Gallery KITAI in Japan, just to name a few.
Citibank is returning with Virtual Gallerist Talks, a series of in-person and live-streaming events and discussions highlighting some of the LA Art Show’s most popular galleries. In a coordinated effort, there will be both an in-person presence and a virtual experience, focusing on five selected galleries. This series gives viewers an in-depth look at the curation of each show, with spirited dialogue about each piece.
For the past six years, LA Art Show has been a strong and unwavering supporter of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® as it leads the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. In 2021 St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® remains the beneficiary, but in an expanded capacity. Previously opening night proceeds had benefited the charity, but this year the LA Art Show is donating 15% ALL ticket proceeds to its life saving mission. Look to opening night for a special celebrity guest and additional collaboration between St. Jude and the LA Art Show, but enjoy the show all weekend, knowing that ticket sales are benefiting the hospital and its important mission.
Under the direction of new LA Art Show producer and director, Kassandra Voyagis, the LA Art Show returns after a harrowing year of unknowns, confident in the ability to keep visitors safe and ready to move forward. Voyagis is working closely with the LA Convention Center to ensure compliance with all CDC and Los Angeles County guidelines to keep attendees socially distant and healthy during their visit. Please visit www.LAArtShow.com to learn more.
