It is this atmosphere that allows visitors to flâner through the aisles of the New York backlot, now more than familiar to the fair’s regulars. California culture is particularly celebrated across the booths and depictions of Hollywood were not lacking. Suzanne Tarasiève came from Paris with two of photography’s biggest names: Boris Mikhailov, his work a radical antidote to the proliferation of shiny studio-produced pieces, and Jurgen Teller, famous for his sensitive and funny photographs of celebrities including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Pamela Anderson and Sophia Coppola. Klowden Mann gallery presented work by Bettina Hubby inspired by the golden age of Paramount and the actress Mae West with witty titles such as “I’ve been on more laps than a napkin”. At M+B gallerythe focus was on beach culture, notably surfing, depicted in LeRoy Grannis’ solo show.
Paule Anglim payed homage to Californian underground culture, featuring Bruce Conner’s legendary snapshots of the early punk rock scene in San Francisco during the 1970s; whilst LA’s LAM gallery presented the work of Californian artist Zoe Crosher whose exhibition “Out the window (LAX)” offers a vision of Los Angeles that is in stark contrast to the Hollywood dream with images of planes seen from the shabby motel rooms that surround LAX airport.
The large number of local galleries is an encouraging sign, testimony to the anchoring of the fair in the Los Angeles scene, bolstered by the solo exhibition of conceptual artist Lew Thomas at Cherry and Martin and the presence of many young Downtown galleries such as Little Big Man. The French Christophe Gaillard remains faithful to tulip-obsessed artist Unglee, launching his Tulipe bleue, immaterial sculpture perfume alongside the fair, whilst the young Next Level gallery provided a singular outlook on the US through the eyes of photographer Ronan Guillou.
In a context where the intentions that surround the launch of the FIAC in Los Angeles in 2016 are at best vague, one can nevertheless wonder about Reed Exhibitions’ short-term ambitions for Paris Photo whose positioning and commercial success (for what remains above all a fair) are an enigma. But for those wandering through the New York backlot, these are concerns that seem a million miles away.
Blacklot entrance
