One major supporter of the fair has been gallery owner Daniel Hug, who helped bring in other local galleries, noted Fleming. Another critical ally was Fredric Snitzer from Miami, who will be using the fair to gain a toehold in the L.A. market.

But for most of the local galleries, such as Patrick Painter, the fair provides an opportunity to support the local art community. “Although our gallery shows artists who exhibit internationally, our focus has always been on Los Angeles and strengthening the reputation of Los Angeles artists internationally,” said gallery co-director Heather Harmon.

Her gallery plans to exhibit many of the California notables have helped fuel interest in the West Coast for decades, such as Mike Kelley, Richard Prince, Francesca Gabbiani and Larry Johnson. In contrast, other galleries will mirror the youth-driven city they inhabit by presenting more cutting-edge artwork, with a strong concentration of challenging video and new media.

The local non-profit outfit Machine Project, for instance, is planning a series of live presentations titled “Electroperformance,” that could include anything from free haircuts set to ambient music, to the construction of an 8-foot volcano out of live flowers.

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Los Angeles Fine Print Fair

Rounding out the week’s events, the Los Angeles Fine Print Fair is being co-hosted by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the UCLA Hammer Museum from Jan. 26-28.

At least 25 exhibitors from the International Fine Print Dealers Association will be participating in the event, including Marlborough Graphics, Crown Point Press, Leslie Sacks Fine Art and Graphicstudio from the University of South Florida (which was an ArtInfo favorite at last month’s Ink fair in Miami).

Their offerings will cover more than five centuries of fine prints, from Old Masters—Rembrandt, Durer—to a large representation of modern and contemporary pieces by Rauschenberg, Lewitt, Ruscha and Twombly, among many, many others.

Though the collection of exhibitors hails from throughout the U.S. and abroad, there is little doubt that the visitor base will include a large contingent of high-profile local collectors, especially with the combined power of two of the city’s best and most loved museums behind it.