Last weekend, the West Coast’s longest running photography art fair Photo L.A. celebrated its 27th edition – and like a fine wine, it is getting better with age. This year, Photo L.A. flexed its muscles in a new, expansive home at the historic Barker Hangar at the Santa Monica Airport. There was a palpable sense of excited energy as guests explored the redesigned layout of the fair at the opening night celebration benefiting Venice Arts, a nonprofit that transforms the lives of low-income youth through arts education. The Hangar had plenty of room for the who’s who of the LA art world to rub elbows and celebrate honoree Jo Ann Callis, the provocateur known for her dramatically and sensually staged photographs, repped in LA by ROSEGALLERY.

Weston Naef (L) inspects a grid of photographs by Alexander Tsway (R)

Weston Naef (L) and Stephen Cohen (R), the founder of Photo L.A.

Gallerist Bill Turner

Weston Naef leading a tour of Photo LA before the VIP Vernissage

I attended a pre-VIP vernissage walk-through with LA’s own expert on photography Weston Naef, founding curator of photographs at the J. Paul Getty Museum. His verve was contagious as he lead a group of “newbies to experts” through the fair for over an hour, pointing out photographs he considered significant or especially appealing for someone who may be a burgeoning photography collector. 

When the fair officially opened its doors at 5 p.m., the revelry began, with enthusiastic greetings echoing across the hangar as old friends came together to celebrate Los Angeles’ indelible status as a frontier of the art world. 

Independent curator Brenda Williams

Gallerist Rose Shoshana of ROSEGALLERY

Director of The Lapis Press Adam Gross (L) with gallerist Paul Kopeikin of Kopeikin Gallery (R)

Collector Merry Norris in front of a photograph by Christian Block

L to R: Collectors Bob Turbin and Carol Vernon with art critic Edward Goldman

Collector Susan Morse with curator and daughter Zoe Lemelson

Kai Loebach, celebrity chef and art collector

L to R: Kai Loebach, Edward Goldman, art advisor Helen Lewis and artist and collector Danny First

Edward Goldman poses for LA art-scene photographer Marlene Picard of Picard Pick Art

Artist and collector Laurie Raskin (L) with collector Rick Shuman (R)

Artist Jay Mark Johnson in front of his work

Art consultant Jane Glassman (L) with gallerist Edward Cella (R) of Edward Cella Art & Architecture

Photographer Linda Burdick (L) with Tulsa Kinney (R), Editor-in-Chief of Artillery magazine

Photos by Bianca Collins