The LA Art Show will present a special exhibition of Robert Williams new works from January 27-31, 2016 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Robert Williams, artist and founder of Juxtapoz Magazine pioneered a new form of art, originally called low brow, pop surrealism has grown to become a global movement. The LA Art Show in conjunction with the Littletopia section will present a Lifetime Achievement Award to Robert Williams on Thursday, January 28th at 5:30 pm.

In the late 20th and 21st century diverse forms of commonplace and popular art appeared to be coalescing into a formidable faction of new painted realism. The phenomena owed its genesis to a number of factors. The new school of imagery was a product of art that didn’t fit comfortably into the accepted definition of fine art. It embraced some of the figurative graphics that formal art academia tended to reject: comic books, movie posters, trading cards, surfer art, hot rod illustration, to mention a few. 

This alternative art movement found its most congealing participant in one of America’s most opprobrious and maligned underground artists, the painter, Robert Williams. It was this artist who brought the term “lowbrow” into the fine arts lexicon, with his ground breaking 1979 book, The Lowbrow Art of Robt. Williams. It was from this point that he seminal elements of West Coast Outlaw culture slowly started to aggregate. 

Williams’ idea to start Juxtapoz Art Magazine (now the largest selling art magazine in the world) may eclipse his importance as a painter with its untold influence over the past 20 years. 

Lifetime Achievement Award Presentation for Robert Williams: Thursday, January 28

Littletopia will honor Robert Williams, artist, founder of Juxtapoz magazine and pioneer in the pop surrealist art movement at an invitation-only award ceremony on Thursday, January 28th. A public after-party celebration will follow in the Chinatown district of Los Angeles.  Participating galleries on Chung King Road include: Gregorio Escalante Gallery, Coagula Curatorial, Charlie James Gallery, Good Luck Gallery, Project Gallery and Chungking Studio. Live music will be provided by Jimmy Psycho Experience and VanJam featuring Bill Barminski. Sponsors include Juxtapoz Magazine and Lagunitas Beer.

The LA Art Show is the first art fair to devote a section to pop surrealist art with the launch of Littletopia in 2014. Founded by Noah Antieau, in conjunction with the LA Art Show Littletopia is designed to create an atmosphere for non-mainstream contemporary art lovers. The section has received accolades from national and regional media including: The LA Times, Huffington Post, Hi-Fructose, Juxtapoz, KCET, Los Angeles Magazine, LA Daily News, LA Weekly and the Art Newspaper described it as ‘a super cool section of the LA Art Show, casual, inviting and full of sexy, disturbing, dark and playful art.”

In recent years, the LA Art Show has become the most internationally diverse art platform in the Western world, bringing in the largest groupings of Korean, Chinese and Japanese galleries outside of Asia. Beginning in 2010, the Show has actively developed its international gallery offerings to provide collectors with a unique opportunity, to spot international trends and zeitgeist through art, a medium that has the ability to transcend language.  

The LA Art Show takes place from January 27-31, 2016 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, West Hall A 1201 South Figueroa Street, 90015. For additional information, visit www.laartshow.com. General admission to the LA Art Show is $20.