LA Art Show 2021 (Capsule Review)

[Original publication: No Proscenium, 8/3/21]

For years I’ve been attending the LA Art Show. This year, I’m making my claim in (digital) print: the art fair model needs to be reimagined.

Get Laura Hess’s stories in your inbox

Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.

SubscribeSubscribe

Billed as “the most comprehensive international contemporary art show in America,” the LA Art Show is an organized maze of booths offering a spectrum of art: at one end is fine art by modern artists such as Egon Schiele; at the other is a contemporary, bloated mashup of post-Banksy, urban pop art, infused with references to Jean-Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol, Blek le Rat, and Robbie Conal. The 2021 show felt stagnant and many of the works derivative; the fair’s design only amplified this sensation.

A few experiential elements were incorporated, including an NFT selection, and those were the most compelling aspects of the entire event. Curated by Marisa Caichiolo, the DIVERSEartLA section focused on “women and non-binary artists at the forefront of work at the intersection of art, science and technology represented.” Standout installations included Carmen Argote’s “Last Light,” Zeynep Abes “Memory Place,” and Ana Marcos’ “DATA | ergo sum | RELOADED.” All of these works probed identity via evocative methods; this was the poetic, emotional root of the fair, but the canopy above was sparse and malnourished.

In a noteworthy move, artist Susan Soffer Cohn built an immersive portal behind her booth. A narrow passageway with lighting and sound effects, “Le Jardin du Bonheur” (The Garden of Happiness) showcased her saturated paintings and served as a spotlight on experiential presentations. And there are existing variations on the traditional fair: the Felix Art Fair at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel exhibits galleries’ contemporary art within the liminal space of hotel guest rooms (bathroom curatorial choices garner unique appeal).

The LA Art Show professes to “highlight some of the most interesting advancements in art.” If only those advancements included evolving and expanding the concept of the art fair itself.