US Fine Artists Featured in Paris Photo Expo

Photo Expo in Paris celebrates digital art.

by Alex Russel
alex.russel@art-schools-search.com
Art Schools Search Columnist

A commonly overlooked part of any art education, and fine art schools, is photography. But, most of the general public experiences art through photography, and not painting, sculpture, or other more traditional art media.

Celebrating the importance of photography art, was the recent four-day international photography fair known as Paris Photo, which united 90 photo galleries from 14 countries. Five hundred photography artists were represented at the expo, which took place in an exhibition space adjacent to the main galleries of the Louvre Museum.

While photography has always played second fiddle to painting as a fine art, many art world observers think that photography may be making up lost ground. Photography, unlike its classical cousins, adapts well to the digital age. And its pricing as an art commodity reflects that.

Fine Art School Photographers

“In general, the market for photography has grown upwards and outwards, both price escalation and diversity of who buys,” said American gallery owner Tom Gitterman, who exhibited at Paris Photo. “As long as it keeps growing outwards and upwards, it can continue to absorb new artists.”

In fact, thanks to digital breakthroughs, the potential of photography as an art form has vastly expanded. Photographers are able to create worlds and effects that were only previously attainable in other art forms.

Brooklyn Photography in Paris

Taking full advantage of new technology is artist and photographer, Anthony Goicolea, a Cuban-born artist who lives in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

According to the New York Times, Goicela created a photomontage of a small bay with a half dozen wrecked boats around an island of stones. The work won Paris Photo’s only prize.

Digital Photography Bucks

More traditional photography collectors probably aren’t as impressed by the abilities of the digital age. Led by artists like Henri-Cartier Bresson and Man Ray, photography of old was less a fine art than a profound desire to capture everyday life. Digital art flies in the face of that modernist endeavor.

Fine Art School for Photography

Unlike some photo galleries, fine art schools can’t hold on to yesteryear and must teach the fine arts in conjunction with digital breakthroughs. An art school today is a place that will teach the old techniques (like sculpture and painting) along with the new (like digital photography and video game design.)

Source

The New York Times

About the Author

Alex Russel is a freelance writer living in Brooklyn, NY. He holds a dual bachelor’s degree in English and History.

Posted on October 16, 2006 at 3:12 PM

Share this article: