PHOTOFAIRS, International Art Fairs Dedicated to Photography, reveals its key programming themes for its inaugural US edition in San Francisco ahead of opening on Thursday, January 26 at Festival Pavilion, Fort Mason.

PHOTOFAIRS | San Francisco will focus on international artists never before seen in the Bay Area and key photographic talent from the United States’ West Coast.  

Set within a highly curated and elegant environment, the featured works of art will include a very current selection of contemporary photographic trends, alongside examples of carefully chosen blue-chip vintage material. 

PHOTOFAIRS | San Francisco’s hand-picked US and international galleries include: M97 Gallery (Shanghai); Flowers (London, New York & Hong Kong); Ratio 3 (San Francisco); Casemore Kirkeby (San Francisco); Danziger Gallery (New York); Edwynn Houk Gallery (New York & Zürich); Bryce Wolkowitz Gallery (New York); Three Shadows +3 Gallery (Beijing & Xiamen); CAMERA WORK (Berlin), and ROSEGALLERY (Santa Monica).  

Gallerist Edwynn Houk comments: “PHOTOFAIRS | San Francisco is appealing to Houk Gallery not only because of the significant number of important collectors there, but also because of the unique make-up of the fair. This curated approach to a boutique fair—dedicated to photography—promises to be a comfortable presentation for experienced collectors, as well as new collectors who would like to spend time in conversation with the exhibitors.”

International focus
Expanding the discourse of international photography is at the core of PHOTOFAIRS | San Francisco and work new to the Bay Area from Spain, China, Japan, Switzerland, Turkey, and beyond, will be presented.

Established names available to acquire will include: Vik Muniz, Abelardo Morell, Sally Mann and Valérie Belin (Edwynn Houk Gallery, New York & Zürich); Ahmet Ertug (ELIPSIS PROJECTS, London & Istanbul); Paul Fusco (Danziger Gallery, New York), Herb Ritts and Peter Lindbergh (CAMERA WORK, Berlin) and Yang Fudong (Three Shadows +3 Gallery, Beijing & Xiamen). They will be featured alongside more emerging artists such as Kate Stone (Rubber Factory, New York), Jungjin Lee (Galerie & Edition Stephan Witschi, Zürich) and Wang Ningde (M97 Gallery, Shanghai). 

West Coast artists
In a nod to San Francisco’s position as of one the US’s most important locations for the medium of photography, featured West Coast artists will include: Buck Ellison (Ratio 3, San Francisco); John Chiara (ROSEGALLERY, Santa Monica) and Jim Campbell (Bryce Wolkowitz Gallery, New York).

US debuts
PHOTOFAIRS | San Francisco will see the US debut for the following galleries: Vanguard Gallery (Shanghai); Pan-View Gallery (Zhengzhou); Mohsen Gallery (Tehran); andriesse eyck galerie (Amsterdam); Galerie & Edition Stephan Witschi (Zürich); ELIPSIS PROJECTS (Istanbul & London); and East Wing (Dubai).

Public program
Conversations, a dymamic series of talks drawing on key themes across the fair, features British artist Paul Graham and leading contemporary photobook publisher Michael Mack.  LA-based Japanese photography collectors Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz will explore their world-renowned collection.  Our panel dedicated to the future of moving image collecting will be led by Tiffany Zabludowicz (Independent curator & collector) and Zachary Kaplan (Executive Director, Rhizome, New Museum).  Erin O’Toole (SFMOMA), Virginia Heckert (J. Paul Getty Museum) and Julian Cox (Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco) will explore the role of the medium, through an overview of retrospective and future photography dedicated exhibitions on the West Coast.

Insights, a curated exhibit offering unique pieces for private sale, will include West Coast artists Chris McCaw, Sean McFarland and Meghann Riepenhoff, alongside 20 international artists including Sissi Farassat, Shao Wenhuan, Esther Vonplon, and Anja Niemi.

VIP highlights
Key San Francisco institutions, galleries and artists will participate in the VIP program and will include a private tour of San Francisco Museum of Modern Art’s new Pritzker Center for Photography, a visit to Pier 24 Photography to see Collected, and a behind-the-scenes view of the Ed Ruscha Archive and the latest Danny Lyon retrospective at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.