LOS ANGELES, CA.- The LA Art Show, now in its 18th year, is the longest running platform for contemporary, modern, historic and traditional fine art in the country. The 2012 show hosted more than 100 prominent galleries and attracted more than 50,000 visitors with its ‘Fair-within-a-Fair’ concept featuring distinct sections catering to diverse collecting genres. Taking place from January 24-27, The LA Art Show kicks-off at the Los Angeles Convention Center with a star-studded opening hosted by Ali Larter and Hayes MacArthur benefitting The Art of Elysium and the J. Paul Getty’s Education Department on January 23.

Taking a cue a cue from the public art museum model, where there has long been a trend of juxtaposing contemporary art alongside older works to show movements and highlight the evolution of art through the ages, the LA Art Show is entirely unique in the art world, providing collectors with a complete art experience through an expansive breadth of galleries that crosses contemporary, historic and print genres.

The show’s diverse array of artworks and galleries have been carefully curated and grouped into digestible sections. In essence, the LA Art Show is three distinct art shows under one roof. The Modern & Contemporary Section, The Historic & Traditional Contemporary Section & The Los Angeles IFPDA Fine Print Fair have been honed with the collector in mind. Unique in atmosphere, the aesthetics of each section have been designed to complement the art and create an immersive environment for collectors.

The Modern & Contemporary Section:
From blue-chip artists including Pablo Picasso and Salvatore Dali to the art stars of today such as Damien Hirst & David Bailey, The Modern & Contemporary Section showcases paintings, installations, sculptures and performance pieces by the world’s influential visionaries and trendsetters.

Select gallery highlights from this section include Paul Stolper Contemporary Art, Cernuda Arte, FL; Jonathan Novak Contemporary Art, CA; Latin American Masters; Denis Bloch Fine Arts, CA and Timothy Yarger Fine Arts, CA.

The Historic & Traditional Contemporary Section:
Art has a rich past, the effects and techniques of which can be traced through history and into contemporary works. The Historic & Traditional Contemporary Section groups galleries that that focus on historic works with their contemporary counterparts that embrace traditional techniques.

Among the galleries on view will be: George Stern Fine Art, CA; Willow Gallery, UK; Redfern Gallery, CA; Galerie Michael, CA; Schiller & Bodo, NY and China-based Trustwin Gallery.

The Los Angeles IFPDA Fine Print Fair:
The International Fine Print Dealers Association (IFPDA) is an organization of expert dealers dedicated to promoting a greater understanding of printmaking, a medium of artistic expression that has been used for over 500 years. Juxtaposing many periods and movements, The Los Angeles IFPDA Fine Print Fair Section features a broad spectrum or works that include: Old Masters, German Expressionist, Antique and modern Japanese, 18th and 19th century European, 19th-century American, American Regionalist, Latin- American, and Modern Works to Contemporary Masterworks and new editions.

Showcasing the world’s top print dealers, The Los Angeles IFPDA Fine Print Fair will include: The Verne Collection, OH; Roger Genser-The Prints & The Pauper, CA: Tobey C. Moss Gallery, CA; Joel R. Bergquist Fine Arts, CA.

Special Exhibitions:
The LA Art Show will also feature a number of special exhibitions including:
• Letters from Los Angeles: Text in Southern California Art: A literal Who’s Who in Art, this exhibition will feature: Lita Albuquerque, John Baldessari, Bill Barminski, Wallace Berman, Chris Burden, Hans Burkhardt, Huguette Caland, Doug Edge, Mark X Farina, Jud Fine, Eve Fowler, Gajin Fujita, Scott Grieger, Mark Steven Greenfield, Raul Guerrero, George Herms, Dennis Hopper, Ed Kienholz, Lynn Hanson, Charles LaBelle, Mark Licari, Michael C. McMillen, Jim Morphesis, Bruce Nauman, Stas Orlovski, David Allan Peters, Paulin Paris, Raymond Pettibon, Lari Pittman, Ken Price, Bruce Richards, Ed Ruscha, Richard Shelton, Alexis Smith, J. Michael Walker, Gordon Wagner, Tom Wudl and others.

• Launch LA Exhibition features artists Todd Carpenter, Marion Lane & Antonio Pelaya

• Additional Exhibitions by The LA Art Association & Let’s Educational Fund

• China Fusion, a showcase of emerging artists from Mainland China which highlights the artist’s fusion of East and West culture through content and form.

• Latin American Art Stars Betsabee Romero & Andrea Juan presented by ADC Contemporary Art & Building Bridges:

• Betsabee Romero will showcase her acclaimed series of prints created using automobile tires.

• Andrea Juan’s video installation New Species & Sea Images