AIPAD Announces New President

[David Spivak-Focus Magazine]

STEPHEN BULGER ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION OF INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY ART DEALERS (AIPAD)

NEW OFFICERS, BOARD MEMBERS AND MEMBER GALLERIES ANNOUNCED

The Association of International Photography Art Dealers (AIPAD), a non-profit organization comprising the world’s leading photography art dealers, has announced that Stephen Bulger, Stephen Bulger Gallery, Toronto, has been elected as AIPAD’s next president. His two-year term will begin on January 1, 2009.

“Stephen Bulger has made significant contributions to the photography community for more than 15 years,” said Robert Klein, President, Robert Klein Gallery, Boston, and President of AIPAD. “AIPAD is fortunate to have his experience and vision to lead the organization as the fine art photography market faces both new challenges and growth with the increase of collectors from the contemporary art world.”

An AIPAD member for 10 years, Stephen Bulger served on the Board beginning in 2001 and became First Vice President in 2003. He opened Stephen Bulger Gallery, Toronto, in 1995, and offers an active exhibition schedule of 19th century, 20th century and contemporary international photographers. He has published numerous catalogues and books, and has curated over 120 exhibitions. Mr. Bulger is also co-founder and a member of the Board of CONTACT, Toronto's photography festival which will hold its 13th annual event in May 2009. He is a graduate of the School of Image Arts at Ryerson University, Toronto, where he was the founding Manager of the Ryerson Gallery.

“I look forward to continuing the initiatives developed under the great leadership of Robert Klein, and in particular, highlighting the various areas of expertise practiced by individual galleries around the world, “said Mr. Bulger. “More than ever, collectors are looking for expert advice, and no other organization has the comprehensive knowledge base of AIPAD.”

New AIPAD Officers

AIPAD has elected new officers to serve with Stephen Bulger. Catherine Edelman of

Catherine Edelman Gallery, Chicago, IL, will be First Vice President; Deborah Bell of Deborah Bell Photographs, New York, NY, will be Second Vice President; Jo Tartt of Tartt Gallery, Warrenton, VA, will be Secretary; and Kraige Block, Throckmorton Fine Art, New York, NY, will be Treasurer. Each will serve a two-year term commencing on January 1, 2009.

New AIPAD Board

New members of the AIPAD Board of Directors include: David Barenholtz, David Gallery, Culver City, CA; Henry Feldstein, Forest Hills, NY; George Hemphill, Hemphill Fine Arts, Washington, DC; and Lisa Sette, Lisa Sette Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ. They will also serve two-year terms, effective on January 1, 2009.

New AIPAD Members

Seven new AIPAD member galleries have been announced. They are:

• Andrea Meislin Gallery, New York, NY, specializing in contemporary work from emerging international artists;
• Bryce Wolkowitz Gallery, New York, NY, a dealer in new media and photography from emerging and established artists;
• Fifty One Fine Art Photography, Antwerp, Belgium, dealing in vintage, Modern, fashion, African work from established photographers of the 20th century, and contemporary work from young emerging photographers;
• Foley Gallery, New York, NY, specializing in photographers new to the contemporary art market;
• Janet Sirmon, Brooklyn, NY, dealing in 19th and 20th century photographs with an emphasis on Czech Modernism and American social documentary work;
• Sepia International Inc., New York, NY, specializing in photography that embraces personal vision, humanistic concerns, and the exploration of alternative photographic processes with a focus on innovative work from Asia;
• Galeria Vasari, Buenos Aires, Argentina, dealing in Modernism from Argentinean photographers of European origin from the era before or during WWll.

“We are pleased to welcome these important galleries to AIPAD,” said Mr. Klein. “They offer collectors an extraordinary level of expertise, connoisseurship and scholarship.”

AIPAD Background

Founded in 1979, the Association of International Photography Art Dealers (AIPAD) will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2009. Representing more than 120 of the world’s leading galleries in fine art photography, AIPAD is dedicated to creating and maintaining the highest standards of scholarship and ethical practice in the business of exhibiting, buying and selling photographs as fine art. The AIPAD Photography Show New York will be presented March 26-29, 2009, at The Park Avenue Armory. The 29th edition of the Show will open with a Gala Preview on March 26 to benefit the John Szarkowski Fund, an endowment for photography acquisitions at The Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

[Daniel Grenier]

I never actually met Stephen Bulger but I have been to his gallery many times and he sure knows his photography based on the works I have seen there. Must be a hell of a hard sell these days, though, this fine ar photography business. Good luck to him.

[David Spivak-Focus Magazine]

AIPAD made a great move with this.. I've spoken to Bulger a couple of times. He runs a great booth at AIPAD every year. I truly hope that this moves AIPAD in a more contemporary direction and allows them to open their show up to more opportunities other than just galleries and dealers. I also hope they start committees and organizations that help emerging photographers find their way into galleries. There's so much that can be done with an organization as powerful and prestigious as AIPAD. I hope they take the bull by the horns and really shake things up and not only become a once a year art show, but really involve themselves in the local photographic communities where their member galleries are located.

The emerging photographer is where the market is at right now. Everyone wants to find the next Catherine Opie, the next Michael Schmelling, the next Jan Banning, etc.