The Photography Show fair’s 45th edition explores medium’s full history from its origins to AI – The Art Newspaper

The Evolution of the Image: Where Fine Art Photography is Heading

In an era where almost every individual carries a high-resolution camera in their pocket, the definition of a “photograph” is shifting. The current landscape suggests a move away from simple documentation toward a deeper exploration of emotional resonance and artistic intentionality.

As we see in the curated selections at the Park Avenue Armory, the industry is grappling with a fundamental question: what separates a captured moment from a piece of fine art? The answer lies in the deliberate choices made by the artist—choices that AI cannot yet replicate.

The AI Paradox: Strengthening the Human Touch

The rise of photorealistic AI-generated imagery is not killing photography; rather, We see clarifying its importance. There is a growing trend toward valuing the “human” in the image—the specific, intentional decisions an artist makes to convey a particular feeling.

Industry experts, including Lydia Melamed Johnson, emphasize that as AI becomes ubiquitous, the market will likely place a higher premium on works where the human creator’s hand is evident. This includes a renewed interest in the “tools of tomorrow” used with a human perspective.

The Shift Toward Provenance and Intent

We are likely to see a stricter demand for transparency regarding what is created by a human versus what is generated by a machine. The value of a photograph will increasingly depend on the narrative of its creation and the artistic motivation behind the shot.

Hybridity: Blurring the Line Between Photo and Painting

One of the most significant trends is the move toward mixed-media photographic works. We are seeing artists move beyond the traditional print to incorporate physical materials that demand an in-person viewing experience.

For example, the work of Doug and Mike Starn demonstrates this hybridity by applying acrylic paint, varnish, and wax onto inkjet prints on gelatin hand-coated paper. This creates a painterly appearance that references Old Master paintings whereas maintaining the core of a photographic image.

The Return to Specialization in a Saturated Market

The art fair landscape has grow increasingly overlapping and saturated. In response, there is a strategic shift back toward specialized fairs—events where photography is not just one of many mediums, but is the central focus.

Dealers are finding that a “unique context” where the medium is deeply understood attracts a more informed audience of private and institutional visitors. This specialization allows for a more “encyclopaedic” approach, tracing the medium’s 200-year history from early plates to modern innovations.

Expanding the Canon: Diversifying Photographic History

There is a powerful trend toward recovering and celebrating overlooked legacies, particularly those of women and non-Western artists. The focus is shifting toward those who captured cultural transformations from within.

A prime example is the renewed focus on 20th-century Argentinian women photographers like Sara Facio and Alicia D’Amico. Their collaborative work, including visual essays like Humanario (1976), provides critical insights into the cultural and psychiatric landscapes of their time, expanding the global understanding of the medium.

The Legacy of Color

We are likewise seeing a re-evaluation of the pioneers who broke technical barriers. The work of Joel Meyerowitz, for instance, highlights the transition of color photography from the realm of advertising and National Geographic into the world of fine art, proving that color could be a viable medium for high art.

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