Our Pick of the week is photo l.a. – celebrating 25 years!! See my Huffington Post article featuring VICA’s exhibition “Abrstract Never Is.”
The 25th annual international photographic art exposition photo l.a. is an ALL WEEKEND event taking place Friday, Jan. 22, through Sunday, Jan. 24, at The Reef, located in the historic LA Mart building in downtown Los Angeles. This year’s photo l.a. will launch with its annual Opening Benefit Gala on the evening of Thursday, Jan. 21.
As the city’s longest-running art fair, photo l.a. brings together leading galleries, museums, universities, and nonprofit organizations for an unparalleled showcase of photographic art from around the world, from 19th Century masterpieces to contemporary, cutting-edge photography-based work. The honoree for this year’s photo l.a. is Los Angeles artist James Welling, and the exposition will include an installation celebrating his distinguished career and groundbreaking work.
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e image: Zoe Crosher, No.39 from The Additive Dust Series (The Disappearance of Michelle DuBois), 2012
As in previous years, photo l.a. will also include a diverse range of programming, including roundtable discussions, educational workshops, docent tours, and curated installations that foster an ongoing dialogue about the changing landscape of photography and its role in the art world at large. Programming highlights include: “The Instagram Effect: How Instagram is Changing the Way We See Photography”; “Robert Mapplethorpe: Beyond Good and Evil”; and “Artists Take Issue: Perspectives and Practices in Activist Photography.” Programs and docent tours feature many of the most respected experts and artists in the field of photography, including Weston Naef, Curator Emeritus, J. Paul Getty Museum; Ivan Shaw, executive photography director at Vogue; and photographers James Welling, Jay Mark Johnson, Jim McHugh, and Zoe Crosher.
“After 25 years, our mission remains the same, to unite and support the international community of enthusiasts, collectors, and artists who share our love of photography,” says Claudia James Bartlett, director of photo l.a. “We believe that this is what makes photo l.a. such a unique experience for our participants and guests alike.”
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hoto LA has partnered with the Venice Institute of Contemporary Art to present “Abstract Never Is,” a presentation of contemporary and historical abstract photography. The show will continue (after photo la) featuring more works by each artist and travels to MuzeuMM in Los Angeles on March 5 and shows through April 1.
See image: Lawrie Margrave, My Office as Escher
As curator and founder of VICA Juri Koll says, “This show intends to place contemporary photographers who practice abstraction as an important way of seeing the world in the pantheon of well known artists such as Edmund Teske and Man Ray. After Photo LA, we’re proud to be able to bring the show to MuzeuMM, to work with Mishelle Moross, and will be producing a catalog for the show. We’re excited to have essays written by Shana Nys Dambrot and Peter Frank included in it.”
As the opening essay for the catalog states: Abstract Photography has a long, illustrious, inspiring tradition, which extends to contemporary photographers’ work. “Abstract Never Is” means to convey the concept that an abstract photographic image never truly escapes the process of putting the lens in front of the eye and clicking the shutter.
The following artists are a part of this traveling exhibition: Fatemeh Burnes, Sasha vom Dorp, Kio Griffith, Diane Holland, Suda House, Juri Koll, KuBO, Lawrie Margrave, Stefanie Nafé, Kirk Pedersen, Osceola Refetoff, Lisa Rosel, Edmund Teske, and others TBA. Further information: http//veniceica.org http://muzeumm.com For additonal info vist the FB PAGE.
At Photo LA, “HOLE, SQUARE PEG,” staged by Artists Corner Gallery and World of Wonder Productions (producer of RuPauls’ television show, Drag Race) is an exhibition of the very latest in LGBT sub-culture photography. “ROUND HOLE, SQUARE PEG” presents groundbreaking visual archetypes for the new millennium.
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der-fluid currents in contemporary American society compel us to redefine the rules for sexually sophisticated behavior and language. Innovative visual paradigms deconstruct and reconstruct our social and individual reality. The visually rich LGBT lexicon of ROUND HOLE, SQUARE PEG reimagines our understandings of class, gender and, above all, sexuality.
See image: Andy Warhol’s TRASH Film Strip, 16 x 20 Douglas Kirkland Signed Print 1970 Donated to The Trevor Project- Joe Dallesandro Art Auction Benefit Event
Tickets for the Opening Gala are $80 in advance or $100 at the door, with proceeds benefiting Best Buddies, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
General admission to photo l.a. is $20 in advance; $25 at the door. A three-day pass is available for $35 online; $40 at the door. Programs are ticketed separately. A limited number of all-access passes, which include admission to the Opening Gala, the three-day photo l.a. exposition, and all of its programs, is available for advance purchase at $450. Tickets can be purchased online at: http://www.photola.com
What: Photo l.a.
Where: The Reef, LA Mart building (2nd floor) at 1933 S. Broadway, Los Angeles
When: Friday – Saturday – 11am-7pm; Sunday – 11am-6pm; Thursday Opening Gala – 7-10pm
Website: http://www.photola.com
