Paris Photo, AIPAD to Launch New York Fair -ARTnews

The Photography Show, an art fair that has been presented annually by the Association of International Photography Art Dealers (AIPAD) since 1979, is being replaced by a new event to be staged jointly with the French fair Paris Photo. Titled Paris Photo New York and presented by AIPAD, it will be overseen by Florence Bourgeois and Christoph Wiesner, the director and artistic director of Paris Photo, respectively. The first edition of Paris Photo New York is slated to be held at Pier 94, the home of AIPAD in recent years, from April 2 to 5, 2020.

“We’ve been having serious discussions with Paris Photo for over a year about their desire to become part of the New York market, and they realized AIPAD would be a great ally—that they could build on the 40-year history of AIPAD doing shows in New York,” Richard Moore, the president of AIPAD, told ARTnews. “We know we’re in good hands.”

In a joint statement, Bourgeois and Wiesner said, “We are very excited to create a bridge connecting Paris and New York. The enthusiasm of many of our longtime exhibitors and our network of collectors and curators is indicative of strong potential for Paris Photo New York to establish itself successfully in the American market.”

AIPAD represents more than 120 galleries specializing in fine art photography. By partnering with Paris Photo, the world’s largest international art fair dedicated to photographic work, AIPAD is aiming to grow its audience significantly.

According to a press release, the “collaboration allows AIPAD to dedicate more time and resources to develop new nonprofit initiatives and year-round educational programming.”

AIPAD will maintain ownership of the Photography Show brand, meaning there’s a possibility that the fair may take place in New York again without Paris Photo involvement. “But,” Moore said, “if things work out ideally, [the Photography Show] will probably not come back.”