photo l.a. Celebrates 25th Anniversary

Friday, January 22 – Sunday, January 24, 2016
Opening Benefit Gala on Thursday, January 21, 2016, 7-10 p.m.

photo l.a. Celebrates 25th Anniversary

International exposition to include diverse programming and wide range of exhibits, from classic photography to contemporary photo-based art
The Reef/LA Mart in Downtown Los Angeles Opening Benefit Gala ~ Thursday, January 21, 2016, 7-10 p.m. Exposition ~ Friday, January 22 – Sunday, January 24, 2016

The 25th annual international photographic art exposition photo l.a. will take place Friday, Jan. 22, through Sunday, Jan. 24, at The Reef, located in the historic LA Mart building in downtown Los Angeles. This year’s photo l.a. will launch with its annual Opening Benefit Gala on the evening of Thursday, Jan. 21.

As the city’s longest-running art fair, photo l.a. brings together leading galleries, museums, universities, and nonprofit organizations for an unparalleled showcase of photographic art from around the world, from 19th Century masterpieces to contemporary, cutting-edge photography-based work. The honoree for this year’s photo l.a. is Los Angeles artist James Welling, and the exposition will include an installation celebrating his distinguished career and groundbreaking work.

As in previous years, photo l.a. will also include a diverse range of programming, including roundtable discussions, educational workshops, docent tours, and curated installations that foster an ongoing dialogue about the changing landscape of photography and its role in the art world at large. Programming highlights include: “The Instagram Effect: How Instagram is Changing the Way We See Photography”; “Robert Mapplethorpe: Beyond Good and Evil”; and “Artists Take Issue: Perspectives and Practices in Activist Photography.”

Programs and docent tours feature many of the most respected experts and artists in the field of photography, including Weston Naef, Curator Emeritus, J. Paul Getty Museum; Ivan Shaw, executive photography director at Vogue; and photographers James Welling, Jay Mark Johnson, Jim McHugh, and Zoe Crosher.

“After 25 years, our mission remains the same, to unite and support the international community of enthusiasts, collectors, and artists who share our love of photography,” says Claudia James Bartlett, director of photo l.a. “We believe that this is what makes photo l.a. such a unique experience for our participants and guests alike.”

Tickets for the Opening Gala are $80 in advance or $100 at the door, with proceeds benefiting Best Buddies, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
General admission to photo l.a. is $20 in advance; $25 at the door. A three-day pass is available for $35 online; $40 at the door. Programs are ticketed separately. A limited number of all-access passes, which include admission to the Opening Gala, the three-day photo l.a. exposition, and all of its programs, is available for advance purchase at $450. Tickets can be purchased online at: www.photola.com.

The 2016 photo l.a. Gala, exposition, and programs will take place on the second floor of The Reef, located in the historic LA Mart building at 1933 S. Broadway in downtown Los Angeles. The Reef Mart offers affordable onsite parking, and is also accessible by Metro. For more information and a detailed schedule of programs, visit: www.photola.com.


About photo l.a.
Since its creation in 1992, photo l.a. has grown into a singularly ambitious exposition of photographic art, bringing together established and new exhibitors that showcase contemporary, modern, traditional, and vintage photography, with the mission to support and advance the discourse on photography's place in the world of contemporary art.
The exposition’s programming sponsor for the 2016 edition is FreeStyle Photographic Supplies.