Last Updated on 09/08/2023 by Chris Gampat
If you happen to be in NYC today or this weekend, we recommend that you check out the Photofairs NY show and dive into a slew of inspiring photography displayed the way it was meant to be. The show, which is brand new, takes place at the Javits Center and is shaping up thus far to be a promising place for the future of the photography world. You can find more information on their website. But we had a press preview — so we’re rounding up a bunch of artists we think you should check out.
Table of Contents
Thandiwe Muriu
I’m super elated to have been treated to the visual excellence that is Thandiwe Muriu. The photographer hails from Kenya and uses patterns coupled with exact lighting to make her subjects seemingly blend into the background in a very clever way. It gets even more complex as a few people all thought that it was Photoshopped — but Thandiwe is doing it all in-camera instead! The photos can be seen on Muriu’s website; but they’re far better experienced printed large in-person. This one is right near the entrance on the left side — and we encourage everyone to see it at Photofairs.
Pieter Henket
Photographer Pieter Henket makes almost whimsical conceptual photographs that at time look like pure luck. At other times, there seems to be a lot of conceptual and surreal elements at play that give a creative signature to his work. It’s unmistakably human and feels holistically different than much of the other photography that seems very documentary-porn-based when tackling less wealthy areas of the world.
Jacob Gils
Jacob Gils is a Danish photographer who is showcasing Portraits of Trees at Photofairs NY. These are images meant to look like paintings and look like photographs that were layered over and over again. Personally, as a legally blind photographer, I adored this project because it gave me a ton of hope that one day, even I, as a journalist, could have my work featured in a gallery space like this. It’s creative, expressive, pertinent to the times, and genuinely got me excited to create all on my own.
I’ve interviewed a ton of photographers for this site, but Jacob has work that hits me right in my heart.
Bastiaan Woudt
Photographer Bastiaan Woudt is showcasing a few images that use lighting very creatively and selectively. The images immediately reminded me of Nicholas Freeman whom we interviewed a while back. However, these play with identity more as well as props. There are also pops of color every now and again.
Chelsea Revelle
Chelsea’s works remind us a whole lot of Brooke DiDonato in the fact that they play with patterns and surreal conceptual elements in the scene. There’s so much going on that your eyes can’t help but move around the entire image.
Patty Carroll
I had to go visit Patty Carroll’s work twice and page through her book on display at the space. Like Chelsea, there’s a lot going on in the images, and each photo keeps giving you little gifts and surprises as you peer into it. We recommend standing there and staring at the images for a long, long time as you’ll see all that unfurls.
Of all the works I’ve seen, these are the most fascinating from an artistic pre-production standpoint.
Ole Marius Joergensen
Photographer Ole Marius Joergensen takes inspiration from the movies to put together the images that he’s got on display at Photofairs NY. They combine elements of Stephen King movies and suburbia that feel both cinematic and serene while mixing in just a bit of eerie feelings to make you want to dive in and investigate each and every frame.