LA may conjure images of surf and sand, but it’s also a hub of contemporary art. Check out three Los Angeles art shows heating up January; then find out where to eat after.
By Marina Kay, from the January 2017 issue of WHERE Los Angeles Magazine
L.A. Art Show
The first winner in January’s art-show trifecta is the 22nd edition of the L.A. Art Show, one of the nation’s largest international art fairs. Jan. 12-15 (following an opening-night premiere party Jan. 11), the downtown Los Angeles Convention Center transforms its West Hall into a public showcase of paintings, sculptures, photographs, videos and installations, displayed by more than 100 galleries hailing from as far off as China. The focus is on postwar modern and contemporary artworks, and this year also launches Roots, a curated display of 18th century European, contemporary realism, California Plein Air and Hudson River School paintings from historical dealers of the old Los Angeles Fine Art Show.
One-day pass $30; four-day $60. Receive a $5 discount by booking online. 1201 S. Figueroa St., downtown, 310.822.9145. laartshow.com
EAT HERE > Walk to Cleo L.A. Live, where you can enjoy meze and a margarita. For dinner, Faith & Flower stands out for oxtail agnolotti and English milk punch. (Call 855.450.7433 for free shuttle service to or from Faith & Flower, courtesy of Downtown Concierge Inc.)
Photo L.A.
For 26 years, photography enthusiasts and serious collectors have converged at international art exposition Photo L.A., the city’s longest-running art fair, held at downtown’s Reef/LA Mart Jan. 13-15 (an opening-night benefit is Jan. 12). This year’s highlights include a travel-photography workshop led by Mark Edward Harris and a curated display of images by Life magazine photographer Grey Villet featuring Richard and Mildred Loving, subjects of Jeff Nichols’ new film, Loving. This year’s fair coincides with the first four days of Month of Photography Los Angeles (monthofphotography.com) and kicks off Converge: 11 Days of Featured Photographic Programming, an initiative of Photo L.A. and the Lucie Foundation.
Three-day Photo L.A. pass $40, seniors and students $35. Purchase tickets in advance for a $10 discount. 1933 S. Broadway, downtown, 323.965.1000. photola.com
EAT HERE > Break for lunch at L.A. Chapter, a trendy indoor-outdoor restaurant at downtown’s Ace Hotel. Later, take to the Arts District for dinner at Bestia. The buzzing Italian restaurant is renowned for its nose-to-tail antipasti, housemade pastas and seasonal desserts.
Art Los Angeles Contemporary (ALAC)
In Santa Monica, Art Los Angeles Contemporary (ALAC), the “International Contemporary Art Fair of the West Coast,” returns in its eighth iteration from Jan. 27-29 (following a Jan. 26 kickoff) at the soaring Barker Hangar—an art piece in itself. This year’s fair lists newcomers including 313 Art Project (Seoul, South Korea) and Henrique Faria (Buenos Aires, Argentina/New York), as well as repeat performers such as 1301PE (L.A.) and Peres Projects (Berlin). Rounding out this global forum are talks and lectures, site-specific collaborations of local artists’ works and a new issue of the biannual Art Los Angeles Reader, which gathers prominent local writers and critics to consider the cultural and curatorial issues shaping LA.
One-day pass $25; three-day $30. Barker Hangar, 3021 Airport Ave., Santa Monica, 323.851.7530. artlosangelesfair.com
EAT HERE > Local Kitchen + Wine Bar, from Maire Byrne of Thyme Café & Market down the street, focuses on seasonal plates and wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizzas. For dinner and drinks, you can’t go wrong with Gjelina, a local and celebrity hangout near Venice Beach.
