LOS ANGELES – Street art has had a coming of age in Los Angeles.  Part of the urban landscape since the 1920s, street art has evolved to include murals, stenciled works, prints and traditional graffiti. Today it has become one of the cores of contemporary art.

“From the Streets to Canvas,” an exhibition held in tandem with the LA Art Show, Jan. 27-31, is a celebration of Los Angeles’ visual-art culture. Inspired by the city’s mural art, the exhibition features works by Carlos Almaraz, Christopher Brand, Espi, Ignacio Gomez, Willie Herrón III, Steve Martinez, MEAR ONE, Art Mortimer, Gilbert Ortiz, Frank Romero, Shizu Saldamando, Evan Skrederstu, and John Valadez – each of which connects the street and the canvas.

Curated by Isabel Rojas-Williams, From the Streets to Canvas showcases the historical and cultural evolution of some of Los Angeles’ notable and changing pieces of art in the most public of forums: the street. However, after the unveiling and the party, art in public spaces takes on a life of its own. Economics, cultural history, and changing neighborhoods are among the factors that move public art past the original intent of the artist. This exhibition, and the accompanying lecture “Mural Renaissance in DTLA: Challenges of Expression and Legacy” will address some of the economics and preservation of this compelling 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. That same year, the LA Art Show became the first art fair to feature street art as a subcategory of fine art. The following year, The Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles mounted their blockbuster exhibition “Art in the Streets.”  Since then, street art has become a staple in contemporary art.

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