February 6, 2020
The stars came out to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the most comprehensive international contemporary art show in America, LA Art Show 2020 on February 5th at the Los Angeles Convention Center during Oscars weekend.
The opening night gala included hosts, Sofia Vergara, Charlize Theron, Emma Roberts, Cameron Monaghan, Jared Harris, fashion designer Sue Wong and more. A portion of the ticket proceedings from LA Art Show’s opening night preview and premiere party will be donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Art season 2020 was officially kicked off with LA Art Show 2020's full lineup of international galleries, museum exhibitions, panel discussions, film screenings, performances, and more from February 5-9th.
VIP attendees were treated to a sneak peek of the show’s programming, which features over 130 galleries, museums and cultural institutions from 23 countries. Highlights include Walker Fine Art’s MC Escher Experience, featuring his complete series of his iconic self portraits, which have never been exhibited together before. Walker Fine Arts possesses the world’s largest collection of Escher’s work, and many of the pieces included in the LA Art Show have never been shown in California. The showcase also features an interactive photo-booth where patrons can insert themselves into Escher’s iconic sphere self portrait.
Kazu Hiro’s ICONOCLASTS exhibition, featuring photo realistic, larger-than-life sculptures of the heads of Abraham Lincoln, Salvador Dali, Frida Kahlo, and Jimi Hendrix drew admirers before they even entered the art fair. Kazu is nominated for an Oscar for his special effects makeup in “Bombshell,” starring Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, Margot Robbie and John Lithgow. With the Oscars taking place this same weekend, the LA Art Show also launched the FASHION section this year, featuring a retrospective of Sue Wong and her legendary gowns, many of which have graced red carpets for the Academy Awards and Golden Globes.
Throughout the evening, attendees were entertained by roaming performers from Cirque du Soleil’s Volta, There Could Be a Monster Inside You performance by Spain’s PSJM Collective (part of this year’s DIVERSEartLA programming), live sculpting by Ichitaka Kamiji, presented by Zeal House, and live ink painting by Japanese calligrapher Sogen Chiba, presented by Gallery Kitai. Renown muralist Robert Vargas completed a new mural honoring the late Kobe Bryant.
Included in photos: Cameron Monaghan, Jared Harris, Joe Manganiello, Sir Brodie, Brandon Boyd, KaDee Strickland, Andrew Howard, Lauren Sivan, Brittney Palmer, Josh Pence, Joanna Cassidy, Rebecca Metz, Meredith Salenger, Elizabeth Chambers, Jason Behr, Tig Notaro, Stephanie Allynne, Manolo Vergara, Ava Cantrell, and more.
For six years in a row, the Opening Night Premiere Party has served as a benefit for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.LA Art Show will return to the LA Convention Center from February 10 - 14, 2021, coinciding with Frieze LA.