LOS ANGELES, CA.- Paris Photo Los Angeles welcomed over 4,800 attendees at yesterday’s successful preview event of the second United States edition of the renowned Paris fair for works in the photographic medium. The fair drew notable guests including celebrity art collectors Orlando Bloom, Jodie Foster, and Brad Pitt; collectors Maria Bell, Jan and Trish de Bont, Danny First, Alan Hergott, Maja Hoffmann, Deborah Irmas, Stefan Simchowitz, Scott Stover, Kathy Suder, Benedikt and Lauren Taschen, and Michael G. Wilson; and art world principals Quentin Bajac, Chief Curator of Photography at The Museum of Modern Art, Dan Cameron, Chief Curator at The Orange County Museum of Art, Joanne Heyler, Director of The Broad Museum, Chrissie Iles, Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Curator at the Whitney Museum of American Art, Agnès Sire, Director of the Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson, Steven D. Lavine, President of CalArts, Roxana Marcoci, Photography Department Senior Curator at The Museum of Modern Art, Ann Philbin, Director of The Hammer Museum, Sandra Phillips, Curator of Photography at San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and Britt Salvesen, Curator of Photography at Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Additional Los Angeles and international personalities in attendance included Maria Bello, Jo Champa, Jamie Lee Curtis, Julie Delpy, Lisa Edelstein, French director/producer Claude Lelouch, Steven Levitan, Joni Mitchell, Moby, Roger O’Donnell, Tracee Ellis Ross, Cameron Silver, Mena Suvari, Omar Sy, and Jesse Williams.

Paris Photo Los Angeles presents 81 galleries and art book dealers from 18 countries featuring diverse, high-quality photographic works from internationally renowned and emerging artists in Paramount’s famed soundstages and New York Street Backlot. A robust programming schedule invites guests to attend book signings, artist conversations, screenings, the special LAPD Photo Archive exhibition, and a Dennis Hopper tribute. The fair is open to the public April 25-27, 2014.

Exhibitors were eager to share their enthusiasm for the unique photography fair. Gallerist Alvaro Perez Miranda of Black Ship Gallery said, “The clientele here is unbelievable. We are very happy with the opening and the level of collectors. I broke my record for first day sales at an art fair. We’re overwhelmed with the response.” Gallerist Robert Morat remarked, “The fact that we’re back again this year proves we’re happy with the fair. The US was lacking a good contemporary photography fair. Now Paris Photo Los Angeles gives dealers a great platform to showcase these works.”

Excitement for the ambiance and programming was evident as well. Fraenkel Gallery noted, “We're excited to be participating in Round Two of Paris Photo Los Angeles. What could be better than Los Angeles in April on the hallowed grounds of Paramount Studios?” Gagosian Gallery director Dean Anes expressed his delight, especially for “the crowds and the programming, including the talks and dynamic screenings installation.”

Visitors can experience a range of special programming, including:

DENNIS HOPPER TRIBUTE
Paris Photo Los Angeles and The Hopper Art Trust host a rare public screening on Saturday, April 26 of renowned actor/director and artist Dennis Hopper's 1971 film, "The Last Movie", winner of the Critics Prize at the Venice Film Festival. The occasion marks a rare public screening of the film remastered by the artist in 2007. A limited number of tickets are available via the Paris Photo website. The screening is part of a special tribute to Dennis Hopper at the fair.

UNEDITED!: The LAPD Photo Archives
Paris Photo Los Angeles presents UNEDITED!, a new public exhibition program that will unveil unedited or rarely seen photographic material. This year’s edition presents The LAPD Photo Archives, with a curated selection of unseen photographs dating from 1925 to the 1970s from the iconic agency, the Los Angeles Police Department. This exhibition is made in collaboration with fototeka with the support of amanasalto.

SOUND & VISION - THE CONVERSATIONS
Organized by Independent Curator Douglas Fogle, The Conversations program brings together notable curators and contemporary artists for a discussion of the practice of image-making. Two conversations are held daily in the Sherry Lansing Theatre at Paramount Pictures Studios. Participants include Walead Beshty, Leigh Ledare, Florian Maier-Aichen, Jean-Luc Mouléne, Amanda Ross-Ho, Stephen Shore, Taryn Simon, Frances Stark, Kevin Tent, Kerry Tribe, Sara Van Der Beek, and Jeff Wall, with introductions by Simon Castets, Doryun Chong, Charlotte Cotton, Clara Kim, Agnès Sire, and Philippe Vergne. The full schedule is available online.

SOUND & VISION - THE SCREENINGS
Curated by Independent Curator Kevin Moore in partnership with Fotofocus Cincinnati, The Screenings provide visitors exposure to exceptional film and video work. The selection, with both contemporary and historical precedents, provides a breadth of international perspectives with a special emphasis on film/video’s longstanding ties to art photography. Works are paired and screened in continuous succession throughout the fair in Soundstage 28. Pairs have been chosen for the dynamic interplay between the two selected works, and based on similar or contrasting themes, formal motifs, or geographic interests, as well as topics endemic to photography’s discretely defined history: social documentary, performative, and formal modes are explored within the expanded discourse of film and video.

The Screenings feature works by Slater Bradley, Martha Colburn, Bruce Conner, Moyra Davey, Rainer Ganahl, Len Lye, Rosalind Nashashibi, Nicolas Provost, Peter Roehr, Julian Rosefeldt, Jack + Leigh Ruby, and Wilhelm Sasnal. Further details are available online.

BMW ART CAR BY DAVID HOCKNEY
Paris Photo is proud to have the support of our official partner, BMW. The BMW Art Car by David Hockney is on view in Stage 27. Almost 20 years after its creation in 1995, the Art Car returns to its roots in LA, the city that has been Hockney’s hometown for more than 40 years.

AGENDA: What’s On in Los Angeles During Paris Photo
Many significant exhibitions reflecting strong themes within Paris Photo Los Angeles are on view in and outside of the city during the fair. The full program is available online.