2014 LA Art Show

02/02/2014 | Grace Lennon |

The 2014 LA Art Show, presented by the Palm Beach Show Group, delivered a broad spectrum of art from across the globe to Los Angeles' diverse and engaged collector base. In its 19th year, it is one of the longest running showcases for contemporary, modern, historic and traditional art in the country. It hosted 100-plus prominent galleries and drew more than 56,000 visitors. The show covered more than two halls of the Los Angeles Convention Center with four distinct areas: Modern & Contemporary, Historical & Traditional, Vintage Poster and The IFPDA Los Angeles Print Fair, in addition to Dialogs LA, ongoing special events and receptions and the adjoining Los Angeles Jewelry Antique & Design Show.

The show itself was a much needed breath of fresh air for Los Angeles, offering glimpses into the minds of artistic masters from all over the word. Two major trends thoughout the show were the use of the human skull and face and the representation of architectural elements and space. Here are some of the highlights of those trends.

MODERN & CONTEMPORARY
ACE GALLERY, Los Angeles, CA
Artist: Justin Bower
Scale is critical to Justin Bower's paintings, with roots in Abstract Expressionism and Cubism. Bower's large canvases of isolated heads draw you close into their orbit, where the speed of Bower's brushstrokes surprisingly possesses a very controlled quality. They seem be pulling the painting apart, echoing themes of fury and fragmentation.. To view more of Bower's work please visit http://www.acegallery.net

Untitled, 2010 Oil on canvas, 84 x 72 inches

AXIOM GALLERY, Santa Monica, CA
Artist: Michael Kalish
Michael Kalishs' impressive repertoire of work contains imagery of American culture -- from flags and automobiles, to portraits of iconic entertainers. He's taken modern, pop and urban art by well-known artists and repurposed them in his own artistry using fragmented elements. "Elvis," shown below, is part of his Experience Collection. As you circle the sculpture it morphs and reshapes with each shift of perspective. Other pieces by Michael Kalish can be viewed at http://axiomcontemporary.com/

Elvis, 2013, Aluminum sculpture

ARTSIDE GALLERY, Seoul, Korea
Artist: Hwang Seon Tae
The minimalist interiors of Hwang Seon Tae represent moments of suspended time -- quiet contemplative spaces. Hwang uses glass along with LED backlighting, which emanates light through the windows in his scenes, instilling an instant feeling of calm and clarity of thought to the viewer. To view more interior stills, visit http://www.shineartists.com/artists/hwangseontae

Various works, 2013, Tempered glass, decalcomania & LED backlit, 53x75x4.5cm

HISTORIC, TRADITIONAL AND CONTEMPORARY
GUARISCO GALLERY, Washington DC
Artist: Craig Alan
Craig Alan's curious method of depicting famous faces, such as Elvis Presley or Marilyn Monroe, utilizes a small army of congregating people carefully painted onto wide open spaces, stopped at just the right moment in time to offer a recognizable and dramatic portrait. Craig's artwork reveals a technical sophistication, as well as an elaborate imagination. Alan's collection can be viewed at http://viningsgallery.com/featured-artists/craig-alan/

Marilyn Demure (on irridescent background), 2013, Oil on canvas, 48x60 inches

LITTLETOPIA
RED TRUCK GALLERY, New Orleans, LA
Artist: Andrés Basurto
Human beings are such fragile things, and Andrés Basurto draws attention to that fact. The human skulls that Basurto creates are even more delicate, constructed en¬tirely of glass shards from broken beer and wine bottles, held together by epoxy resin. The transparent quality also allows light to refract the different colors of glass upon a white background. More of Andrés' work can be seen at http://www.redtruckgallery.com/andres-basurto/

Green Skull (1), broken bottles and epoxy puddy, 8in x 8in x 6in; Brown Skull, broken bottles and epoxy puddy, 8in x 8in x 6in; Green Skull (2), broken bottles and epoxy puddy, 8in x 8in x 6in

KOREA CONNECTION
SPECIAL INSTALLATION
Artist: Choi Jeong Hwa
Choi Jeong Hwa, the internationally recognized leader of Korea's Pop Art movement, presents a special exhibition, "The Present of the Century," an ambitious installation featuring large-scale, colorful pillars. An immersive experience, Choi Jeong Hwa's work explores the beauty of everyday, mass-produced plastic materials as a commentary on consumerism in our throw-away culture. To view other installations by Choi Jeong Hwa, visit http://choijeonghwa.com/

The Present of the Century, 2013