Photo LA 2019
The Photo LA and Focus Photo LA exhibition and events, held from January 31 through February 3, 2019, added up to an impressive opportunity for collectors and enthusiasts to study the latest offerings in photographic art and book publications. Some 60 galleries, publishers, bookstores, non-profits, schools, and other organizations were present to provide a vast array of offerings.
Rather than cover the enormous quantity of what could be seen and the many friends and acquaintances I was able to share time with, I will describe a few special highlights here, along with some photographs of what surprises I found.
One of the organizations that never fails to impress is the Building Bridges Art Exchange, which featured the work of L.A. photographers Sarah Hadley, Bootsy Holler, JK Lavin, Lisa McCord, and Marian Crostic.
Moonrise by Sarah Hadley
The Lapis Press/Nazraeli Press stand featured, among others, images by Mona Kuhn, Abelardo Morell, and Daido Moriyama (color work).
Chris Pichler, Owner & Publisher of Nazraeli Press, with a Valerie Belin Image
Morell image rear wall, right side (Nazraeli Press booth)
Image courtesy Douglas Stockdale © 2019
The Nino Mier Gallery of Los Angeles and Cologne, Germany, surprised us with large prints of the visually and psychological altered state work Morphs by Polly Borland, in which the model is enveloped in colored body stockings:
At the Toth Gallery (Manhattan) two artists were presented that are both intriguing. Tom Blachford showed mysterious photographs of Southern California environments taken with long exposures in moonlight (below left) and Matthew Tierney exhibited multi-layered portraits that are painterly and modern (below right).
Among the bookstore/galleries, photo-eye had a stand with outstanding treasures: The lastest work by Nick Brand (whose book This Empty World will be reviewed in The Photobook Journal shortly), amazing portrait book featuring goats and sheep photographed by Kevin Horan, the animal portraits of Brad Wilson, and a wonderfully complex and elaborate hand-made photobook, Xian by Thomas Sauvin, celebrating vernacular photography; Rixon Reed, Founder and Director, ably demonstrated this work reminiscent of advent calendar windows behind which surprises can be found.
And speaking of surprises, I was delighted to see a number of representatives from China at this exhibition. Not only that, at the SoPhoto Gallery (Beijing), in addition to studying the great work of established fine art photographers, I was introduced to the talented newcomer Dia Yunzhi Wang, who was so kind as to present me with her one-of-a-kind hand-made artist book, I Was There in Your Shattered and Rosy Dreams, which also has been printed for general distribution, and which I will be reviewing in The PhotoBook Journal shortly. As I photographed her for this article, a priceless unstaged moment developed: two other photographers photographed me photographing Dia, and the whole thing was ably captured by the one and only Douglas Stockdale for your amusement:
Photographing Gerhard Clausing photographing Dia Junzhi Wang at SoPhoto Gallery
Photo courtesy Douglas Stockdale © 2019
Last, but certainly not least, two presentations stood out, Open Show LA #50, featuring five local talents (shown here: Ave Pildas), and the Photobook Roundtable, featuring Aline Smithson, Dotan Saguy, Douglas Stockdale, and Khodr Cherri, and moderated by Richard S. Chow, which I discussed at TPBJ.
Looking forward to Photo LA 2020!
Gerhard Clausing
All images © 2019 by Gerhard Clausing, and Douglas Stockdale (where indicated), and/or the respective artists
Photo LA – Jan. 31 to Feb. 3, 2019
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Photo LA, Barker Hangar, Santa Monica
January 31 – February 3
Details here: https://www.photola.com/
Ellen Butler at Flux Art Space, with Dan Gerchik: “fistfuls of change”
Two photographers will be showing their work at Flux Art Space, Long Beach – Ellen Butler and Dan Gerchik: Ellen’s public telephones and Dan’s gritty urban images.
The reception is on Saturday, Nov. 10 from 3 – 5.
Ellen will be at the gallery this Saturday, Nov. 3, from 12 – 5.
Hours are limited, but alternative visits are possible, contact Ellen here.
Thanks to Betsy for the show and to all who attend!
And here, as a preview, are some of Ellen’s images:
All images Copyright © Ellen Butler
Report on the Medium Festival of Photography: John Divola Lecture and Paris Photo/Aperture Book Selections
The Medium Festival of Photography in San Diego is one of the most delightful and productive photography events in Southern California, with many useful activities, as we have reported several times, such as our impressions and experiences at the 2017 and 2016 Medium Festivals, along with announcements in between.
This year, the Keynote Speaker was John Divola, whose lecture encompassed many examples of his work, beginning with the 1970s. Particularly interesting was his performance art applied to abandoned buildings, which, once photographed, became new art, with some of it subjected to further enhancements; work at abandoned military installations, fierce encounters with dogs in the desert, and experiments with color and light in many locations were further fascinating photographic adventures presented in an appealing and forthright manner by this local luminary, a professor at UC Riverside. He also did a book signing of his 2018 volume Vandalism:
The Executive Director, scott b. davis, introduces the keynote speaker
John Divola delivering his keynote presentation and signing his latest book, with Douglas Stockdale
At the Gym Standard in North Park, San Diego, the Paris Photo/Aperture PhotoBook Exhibition was a great opportunity to examine a number of outstanding photobooks first-hand. The following four books stood out to me as particularly noteworthy; I am showing a double-page spread from each, right below each bit of information:
Karoline Hjorth and Riitta Ikonen, Eyes as Big as Plates (Oslo: Forlaget Press, 2017), covering the role of the elderly in society, presented in nature:
Mayumi Suzuki, The Restoration Will (Self-published, Tokyo, 2017), dealing with the loss of her parents in the tsunami of 2011:
Senta Simond, Rayon Vert (Self-published, Lausanne, Switzerland, 2017), an especially innovative approach to depicting the human face and form:
Debi Cornwall, Welcome to Camp America, Inside Guantánamo Bay (Santa Fe, NM: Radius. 2017), a comprehensive approach to detention:
Thanks again, Medium Festival, scott b. davis and team!
The Abstract Visions Exhibition
Ellen Butler
The Abstract Visions Exhibition
Abstract photography is connected to the external world in mysterious and ambiguous ways, to stimulate something within us. As you look at such images, you not only have something to think about, but may also have some feelings stirred up, since there are a variety of ways to interpret images that are not straight-forward; your associations for each image are part of your individual experience. Formations and shapes, colors, movement and juxtapositions may cause you to linger and let your mind and heart wander and wonder… I was very pleased to see a range of levels of abstraction in what was submitted for this theme, because there is also a range of levels between what is real and what is unreal, especially these days.
The included submissions constitute an amazing array of abstract visions. Congratulations to Ellen Butler for having her image chosen as the key image, and kudos to all the participants for their imaginative work: Bill Collins, Bill Edwards, Diane Reeves, Douglas Stockdale, Ellen Butler, Gerhard Clausing, Jan Brueckner, Janos Lanyi, Jim McKinniss, Paul Anderson, Roger Bennett, Scott Mathews, and Stan Kuran. Given such interesting diversity in the approaches taken, I have arranged the images alphabetically by first name. All images are Copyright © by each individual photographer, with websites available by clicking the name when underlined. In order to let the images speak for themselves when first viewed, I have decided to list the titles, as supplied, at the end of the exhibition.
Enjoy!
Gerhard “Gerry” Clausing, Exhibition Curator
Bill Collins
Bill Edwards
Diane Reeves
Douglas Stockdale
Ellen Butler
Gerhard Clausing
Jan Brueckner
Janos Lanyi
Jim McKinniss
Paul Anderson
Roger Bennett
Scott Mathews
Stan Kuran
Titles of the images:
Bill Collins: Almost Monochrome
Bill Edwards: Abstract
Diane Reeves: Arial 58 – Arial 83 – Homage to Miró
Douglas Stockdale: Angst – Confusion – Loss, all from the series Memory Pods
Ellen Butler: Untitled – Untitled – UPS
Gerhard Clausing: Arrival or Departure – Fake World – Punctured Recollections
Jan Brueckner: Abstract 1, Abstract 2, Abstract 3
Janos Lanyi: Don’t Let Them Wear You Down – Here Be Monsters – Light My Fire
Jim McKinniss: Three Horses on the Beach – Horse on the Beach #14 – Horse on the Beach #5
Paul Anderson: Oblivious – Symphony #1 – The Conversation
Roger Bennett: Torrey Pines – Yosemite – Lower Antelope Valley
Scott Mathews: Chaos – Flow – One Stone
Stan Kuran: Curtain Pattern – Calla Lilies – Eucalyptus Abstract
Report on the Opening Night of the Photo Independent and Fabrik Expo Show
Last night I had the great pleasure to attend the opening of this important annual event, held at the Reef in Downtown Los Angeles.
It is a great opportunity to get in touch with old friends and make some new ones as well. The ever so gracious host, Chris Davies of Fabrik Media with his great staff, did a fabulous job making everyone feel welcome and taken care of.
Especially noteworthy this year was the attraction called Skulpturengarten, which even included a set of nature scenes on large panels by Sandra Mann – photography as sculpture. Other attractions were architectural shots by Richard S. Chow, abstracts by Jonas Yip, the work by Cathy Immordino, which has a special appeal, as it combines old and new elements; check it out below. On the even more edgy side, there were nudes and other provocative images by a number of gifted photographers; I was particularly impressed by the work presented by Vlad Kenner, Carl Shubs, and Milan von Brünn. A special treat was the series Dressed by Jerry Weber: his fascinating work that touches many subjects – especially gender, culture, and fantasy – was ably enhanced by the presence of some of his models in costume, as you can see in my images below.
Since I am on the Editorial Board of The PhotoBook Journal, I was also looking out for interesting books. Jonas Yip, Richard S. Chow, Ara Oshagan, and Douglas Stockdale were ably conversing with many interested guests concerning previous and new book projects; check out our forthcoming book reviews for more details. Not only that, but the renowned printing company Dual Graphics of Brea, California, whose work goes back all the way to Ansel Adams, was present to consult with potential authors.
A most enjoyable event; as announced in previous posts, the show continues through Sunday, October 7. Don’t miss it!
Gerhard Clausing
Dennis Keeley, Chair of Photography at Art Center College of Design, in conversation with Chris Davies (right)
Jonas Yip
Richard S. Chow
Cathy Immordino
Upper picture: Douglas Stockdale, whose books are printed by Dual Graphics. Craig Evans, lower picture right, explains the finer points of quality printing to a potential customer.
Where does reality end and fantasy begin?
All photographs above Copyright © 2018 by Gerhard Clausing
Photo Independent 2018: Los Angeles Oct. 5-7 and Paris Nov. 8-11
PHOTO INDEPENDENT IN LOS ANGELES
AND LAUNCHING IN PARIS
Photo Independent is excited to announce it will also be launching a Paris edition this fall. Applications now open!
Photo Independent Paris will be located at the Carousel du Louvre (at the Louvre Museum), and will be sharing the venue with fotofever, a gallery-based photo fair — who will be celebrating their 7th edition this year.
Both fairs will be celebrated alongside Paris Photo and many other photography events in November during what is known as PARIS PHOTO WEEK in Paris.
FROM THE NEWS RELEASE:
As the leading photographic art fair worldwide for affordable, contemporary photography, Photo Independent is here to support photographers gain the exposure they are seeking.
Connect with the European Market
Sharing a venue with fotofever, who attracted over 10,000 visitors in 2017, will enhance the exposure for photographic artists participating in Photo Independent Paris, and their ability to connect with collectors and lovers of photography in Europe.
We are offering previous exhibitors of Photo Independent Los Angeles the first opportunity to apply for the Paris edition, as there is a limited number of photographers we can accommodate this year.
Photographers who are interested in participating in both Los Angeles and Paris will receive a discount to participate for both fairs.
Please, if you are interested in participating in Paris, don’t hesitate to apply, as we ARE limited in the amount of photographers we can showcase for this year.
More information about Photo Independent Paris can be found on our website at photoindependent.com.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Chris: chris@photoindependent.com. There are also discounts for participating in both Los Angeles and Paris fairs.
LACP Exposure 2018 – Portfolio Reviews, Workshops, Seminars – July 20-22, Registering Now
Registration for Exposure Weekend 2018 conducted by the Los Angeles Center of Photography is now in progress. The portfolio reviewers and workshop/seminar presenters this year are a particularly interesting group. You can get your work assessed, learn some new things, and meet some more fellow photographers! Highly recommended!
EXPOSURE 2018
Friday – Sunday, July 20-22, 2018
Hotel MdR in Marina del Rey, CA, near LAX airport
Registration is now open for the following portfolio reviewers, workshops, and seminars:
Photo by Julia Dean
Portfolio Reviewers still available:
Chad Attie, Gallery Director, Eastern Star Gallery, Los Angeles, CA; Sherrie Berger, Photo Consultant, Los Angeles, CA; Jonathan Blaustein, Contributor, NYTimes Lensblog and A Photo Editor; Kyle Bradley, CEO/Founder, Nava Print Studio, Chicago, IL; Susan Burnstine, Contributor, B+W Magazine (UK); Marisa Caicholo, Founder/Curator of Building Bridges Art Exchange, Los Angeles, CA; Catherine Couturier, Owner/Director, Catherine Couturier Gallery, Houston, TX; Chris Davies, Founder/Director, Fabrik Projects Gallery and Photo Independent, Los Angeles, CA; Michael Dawson, Owner, Michael Dawson Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, Crista Dix, Founder/Director, Wallspace Creative, Santa Barbara, CA; Christy Havranek, Photo Director, Huffington Post; Virginia Heckert, Curator, Department of Photographs, J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, CA (Almost SOLD OUT); Anne Kelly, Gallery Director, photo-eye Gallery, Santa Fe, NM; Randi Kreeft, Gallery Director, the Loft at Liz’s Art Gallery, Los Angeles, CA; Dhyandra Lawson, Curatorial Asst., Department of Photography, LA County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA; Douglas Marshall, Independent Curator/Appraiser; Kristina Newhouse, Curator, University Art Museum, Long Beach, CA; Cindy Rowe, Art Producer, Saatchi & Saatchi, Torrance, CA; Aimee Santos, Editorial Picture Editor, Shutterstock; Cheyanne Sauter, Executive Director, Art Share LA, Los Angeles, CA; Hannah Sloan, Founder/Director Sloan Projects; Sybylla Smith, International Curator, Educator and Consultant; Aline Smithson, Founder/Editor, Lenscratch (Almost SOLD OUT); Mackenzie Stevens, Curatorial Assistant, Hammer Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA (Almost SOLD OUT); Douglas Stockdale, Founder/Editor, The PhotoBook Journal; Yessica Torres, Curator, Dab Art, Ventura, CA.
Cool workshops and seminars, including:
Friday, July 20
10:00 am – 4:00 pm – Workshop – Now What? Re-energizing Your Photography Career with Aline Smithson
10:00 am – 1:00 pm – Seminar – Steps to Success for Photographers with Sherrie Berger
02:00 pm – 5:00 pm – Seminar – The Business of Gallery Representation with Crista Dix
Saturday, July 21
09:30 am – 5:00 pm – Workshop – Concept Aware: Enhance Your Creative Practice with Sybylla Smith
10:00 am – 1:00 pm – Seminar – Fine Art Digital Printmaking: Why and How with Cheryl Kelleher Walsh & Eric Joseph
02:00 pm – 5:00 pm – Seminar – Untangling The Web of Social Media with Paul-Michael Carr
Sunday, July 22
09:30 am – 5:00 pm – Workshop – Pushing Your Work Forward with Jonathan Blaustein
09:30 am – 1:30 pm – Workshop – Street Shooting on Venice Beach with Julia Dean
01:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Workshop – A to Z Grantwriting with Linda Vallejo
SoCal Photo Exchange is a proud media sponsor of Exposure 2018
leave a comment