Art Fairs: Go In Good Stead

Writer Henry Carroll makes the salient point that, “the acceleration of image culture has brainwashed us into accepting very specific and very narrow definitions of beauty that exclude almost everyone.”

Thankfully, exceptions to this are becoming more prevalent with the rise of a number of artists such as Haley Morris-Cafiero and Iiu Susiraja. Art is meant to challenge and these artists, among others, are contesting notions of what should be seen in the public sphere. Staley-Wise Gallery, New York, sums up the fair by positing “Paris Photo always attracts a sophisticated and knowledgeable base of collectors and artists interested in seeing the most discerning international perspective of historical and contemporary photography based art”.

Straddling the line between big ticket items that are sure to sell, and works that promote inclusivity to bring in people from all walks of life, is always something that art fairs need to contend with. This is very much at the forefront of the thinking of Paris Photo, with its catchcry being “we cultivate a culture of inclusion at all our events, where the very things that make each of us unique are celebrated.”

The section entitled MAIN hosts more than 130 international galleries ranging from historical to contemporary works. There’s also a BOOK section, and a CURIOSA section which looks at the trends and practices in the field of images and digital – a new development dedicated to photography in the digital age. Australian artist Hoda Afshar is featured in this year’s CURIOSA. It’s impressive seeing her thought-provoking documentary style of imagery shown internationally and not just closer to home.

A spokesperson from Staley-Wise Gallery remarks that the upcoming Paris Photo presentation, “expresses each photographer’s appreciation of a broader artistic culture expanded beyond fashion and style. Works by Howard Schatz and Rodney Smith pay homage to iconic paintings by Georges Seurat and Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, respectively. Modern attitudes concerning sexual freedom are exhibited in Ellen von Unwerth’s playful images.”

An enthusing development is the inclusion of Silk Road Gallery, Tehran. It invites us to look at Iran through the lens of Iranian women – their struggles, and the rights they claim with determination and courage.

Given the recent repressive measures introduced by the government there, it’s promising to see that their message is being explored and shown to the public. Kicken, Berlin is exhibiting for the first time, with a focus on modernism in the inter-war years, featuring contemporary women artists. Bruce Silverstein, New York, presents a trip down memory lane through a range of past pioneering artists, including Man Ray, Bill Cunningham and Sarah Sense.