photo l.a. Celebrates Its 25th Anniversary With Iconic Photography of Past and Present

Lucy Tiven

photo l.a. is celebrating its 25th anniversary and kicks off Jan. 21 with an Opening Night Gala in honor of artist James Welling.

Each winter, the beloved international photo exposition brings together a diversely curated showcase of photographic art from past and present; exhibitors range from L.A. art galleries, art dealers, museums, nonprofits and schools to those from across the country and globe.

This year’s itinerary features installations, lectures and discussion panels through to Jan. 24 as well as docent tours and pop-ups where you can snag a print or simply ogle the fine art world’s top-shelf photo offerings.

Featured installations include the black and white photography and colorful abstractions of James Welling and “Point of View: Selections from Los Angeles Collections,” a show spotlighting photographers capturing the city’s visual arts history and the birth of cinema.

On Friday, Jan. 22, Artist and Professor Emeritus at Orange Coast College John Upton will moderate a panel discussing “The Golden Decade,” a book examining the flourishing medium in the 1940s and 50s after Ansel Adams created a fine art photography program at the California School of Fine Arts (CSFA), now the San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI) in 1945. Adams brought in iconic photographers like Dorothea Lange and Imogen Cunningham into the program, which produced transformative photographic work and major artists.

The exposition is a must-see for art aficionados; Catch a panel event, venture on a docent tour, or simply stop by and peruse the art market’s best photo offerings.

photo l.a. opens Jan. 21 and goes through Jan. 24 at The Reef.