OK, had a chance to walk through PhotoLA with fresh eyes today, and a more leisurely up and down, side to side, approach to cover the fair.

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@ Jeong Yoon 2006/2007
(click the photo for more)

Overall, yes, there are a few great new artists seen for the first time here. However, the majority of the great work are the masters, the classics, the photographs and photographers that have been with us forever.

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A personal favorite is this 3 D viewer with black and white images from th 70’s by Bill BUrke. Available exclusively from Vincent Borelli, Bookseller. You have got to go by this booth and take a look.Very cool.

More importantly, though, the new generation such as Julie Blackmon, available at Photo-Eye, and Jill Greenberg, showing at Clamp Art, are still very strong. They are not showing lots of new images, so maybe you want to call them “sophmore artists”. And that is meant as a complete compliment.

Yes, the prices are climbing, so if you’re not going to jump into that real estate deal now, purchasing a quality photograph may be an answer to hedge inflation and enhance your life.

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Oh, and here is that Man Ray book we mentioned for only $10,000, from Bondi Books.

We discussed the new layout yesterday. What we didn’t discuss it the fact that there are fewer dealers. On one hand it does make it a more manageable show to navigate and really see what is here. Not so overwhelming.

On the other hand, when you have a huge mass of work, the star players jump out at you. This year didn’t have that for us. No real breakout artists as in previous years.

With the massive amounts of photo fairs coming one right after another, one has to hope that the market isn’t cannibalizing itself. From Paris-Photo to AIPAD Miami, and PhotoMiami right on top of each other, the galleries doing the showings, are tired. And therefore they all don’t show up.
Oh did we mention that Art LA is coming up Jan. 25-27, and AIPAD is in NYC again in April??

Those who are passionate about photography are the winners here, though. the more you see, the more you learn. And experience.
Sweet.

Cheers!
Damon Webster