Mar 31

Mar 31 The Photography Show presented by AIPAD 2017

March 29 - April 2 at Pier 94, NYC

Mona Kuhn, with Edwynn Houk Gallery Booth 400. © Hallie Neely

Review by Belle McIntyre

I am happy to report that the newly installed edition of the Photography Show presented by the Association of Independent Photography Art Dealers at Pier 94 is quite spectacular. There were many, myself included, who were very attached to the idea of this reliable warhorse being held in the Park Avenue Armory. Something about the enclosed, cozy space was familiar and intimate. The idea of the Pier could have rendered it cold and impersonal. The good news is that the lightness and extra space actually gives the galleries and the work more room to breathe.

The show has doubled in size with an extra 51 galleries and a much wider international scope. It also allows for a wider range of work from the individual galleries. And interestingly enough, the airiness and lightness of the space makes everything seem fresh, including vintage work. It is a pleasure to wander through and be able to see with ease what is available in each gallery before deciding whether to step in and dig deeper. At the same time, it makes the digging deeper a more appealing idea and very often hugely rewarding.

The special exhibitions are such a bonus in their generosity and diversity. The enormous space which is filled by the Walther Collection, Structures of Identity is almost an anthropological survey of portraiture and how it expresses the identity of the sitter in the context of culture, race, and gender. The work runs the gamut from early daguerrotypes through contemporary. The Madeleine Plonsker collection, The Light in Cuban Eyes highlights work from Cuba since 1992 (post Soviet Union) and nearly all of it will be new to US eyes. The collection of Martin Z. Margulies is equally revelatory showing the work of 20 artists from 15 countries and provides insights into the world of the photographers.

I could write many more words about the unexpected discoveries from the various galleries but I am on a deadline. Therefore, I would encourage everyone to just go and find your treasures. There are endless discoveries to be had and the experience is thoroughly rewarding. I may elaborate specifically later. But this is an exhortation to go out and find your bliss.