In a crowded market of art fairs all trying to outdo each other with their cutting edge hipness and experimental risk taking, the ADAA Art Show is a confident, self aware contrarian. It’s unabashedly fancy, with wide aisles, fabric covered walls, and dimmed lighting, so much so that its refinements can often feel subdued and sleepy in comparison with the other more casual and improvised fairs. And while there might be some aggressive art on view here (in a few places), the fair itself is the conscious opposite of brash and confrontational. It’s the kind of place that encourages hushed, thoughtful conversations, lingering looking, and quiet wandering. Depending on your personality and tastes, this is either the dullest fair around, or the most pampering and comfortable art viewing experience to be had this week.
This year’s show is slightly lighter on photography than in previous years, with fewer all photography booths and less hidden treasures to be unearthed in unlikely locations. That said, what is here is of consistently high quality. For photography-only hounds, this fair can easily be circumnavigated in under two hours, with plenty of time for questions and socializing, and take no prisoners scanners can likely breeze through in less than an hour.
The slideshow below contains photographic highlights from various booths, some from tight solo shows of a single artist/photographer’s work, others from broader group shows and gallery grab bags. In a few cases, I’ve selected more than one worthy image from a single booth. Each image includes additional description and commentary, with linked gallery names, photographer names, and prices where appropriate.