AIPAD, the Association of International Photography Art Dealers, is unique; it’s a membership organization with selective criteria: the 145 members have demonstrated high ethical and artistic standards, and all exhibitors at the AIPAD Photography Show New York must be members of AIPAD.
The vintage, modern and contemporary photographic exhibits at the show represent exclusive galleries from Paris, Milan, Chicago, San Francisco, New York and other art meccas. A number of AIPAD dealers are relied on by prominent museums for their expertise, and the relationship is symbiotic; proceeds from shows are often donated to museums. The upcoming gala preview on March 25th, 2009 will benefit the John Szarkowski Fund, an endowment for photography acquisitions at the Museum of Modern Art., New York
Last year’s show at The Armory drew 8,000, smashing previous attendance records and drawing celebrity guests like Jessica Lang and Kathy Bates, real estate, finance, entertainment and fashion moguls like Calvin Klein, collectors, and museum curators. Interest in vintage 19th-century photography rivaled that of more contemporary and emerging artists. According to Robert Klein, AIPAD’s former president and a Boston-based photography dealer, to celebrate this years 30th anniversary of AIPAD, the 2009 show will be based on th etheme of innovation. “From its conception, photography was innovative and influenced the way many other art forms evolved. For example, Eadweard Muybridge’s work was the precursor to the moving picture and the world seen upside-down in a view camera inspired a reassessment of how the world is ordered ”
