An overview of the Photography Show. (Photo by Scott Rudd. Courtesy of AIPAD.)
With nearly 80 photo exhibitors, plus roughly 20 photobook sellers at the back of the show, the Association of International Photography Art Dealers (AIPAD) put on the largest and most impressive photography show in the Americas in New York City at the Park Avenue Armory from April 22-26.
This year was its 45th iteration, and the fair hit record levels with opening night attendance rising by 20%, reaching 3,430 guests, and with total attendance at 16,500 people, another record, according to Executive Director Lydia Melamed Johnson. The show continues to grow now that it's back in the Armory.
A few regulars were back and a few were missing, but overall the show looked good with a fine mix of contemporary and vintage and classic 20th-century photography. In fact the influx of new contemporary galleries definitely put the emphasis on that part of the market much more than at any previous AIPAD Show. First time exhibitors included Curatorial Gallery, Gana Art, In the Gallery, Leica Gallery New York and Ruiz-Healy Art.
As exhibitor Stephen Daiter put it, "There was a strong level of interest overall, with a noticeable presence of younger galleries, which felt positive for the field and suggested a continued broadening of voices within the fair. The atmosphere felt more energetic this year, with larger crowds throughout the run."
New York Gallerist Hans Kraus, Jr. was one of the few dealers that showed 19th-century photography at this year's AIPAD Show. (Photo courtesy of AIPAD.)
If there was a gap in coverage, it was in the near total lack of 19th-century work at the fair, or even a mention of that seminal period. With the exception of stalwart Hans Kraus, Jr.'s booth and New York dealer 19th Century Rare Book & Photograph Shop, the early history of photography in its 100th anniversary year was embarrassingly missing from both exhibit booths and programming. A sad omission indeed for such an important photography venue.
But the young, enthusiastic crowds didn't seem to mind, although the youngest also didn't seem to be buying all that much either—at least yet. Most seemed to more enjoy having their own pictures taken for social media posts than to engage with the work being shown—a service that was provided by AIPAD in the hopes of attracting a younger buying audience. I am not so sure it actually paid off though for its exhibitors.
Some galleries reported more museum curators spending a bit more time at the show, and some of the bigger sales did indeed go to museums. But most European and Canadian curators and collectors seemed to take the year off from coming to AIPAD.
Charles Isaacs and Gregory Leroy's shared booth focused on Latin American images. Empty before the show, the booth was a hive of activity though once the show opened. (Photo courtesy of Charles Isaacs.)
New York dealer Charles Isaacs, who shared a booth with French dealer and auction expert Gregory Leroy, who now lives in Madrid, told us, "We had less visitors from museums and foreign countries this year; visas were an issue for some of our clients who did not attend."
Isaacs reported that they "showed all vintage Mexican works, with groupings by Manuel Alvarez Bravo, Lazaro Blanco, and Kati Horna, plus a gorgeous Weston print of Tina Modotti. We did very well, and sold our most expensive pictures very quickly. Compared to other years, we sold better at the high end and less of more modestly priced works.
"In our booth, everything seemed to get attention. We had waiting lists for a few things, which was gratifying. We had a lovely unknown Bravo of a boy swimming that hasn't sold, which was a surprise."
One of the photos at the center of the booth was an important and oversized exhibition print of Manuel Bravo's Obrero en huelga, asesinado (Striking Worker, Assassinated) from 1934 in a 1940s print. The rare, early print was one of the few six-figure photos purchased during the fair. Like many of their other sales it was to a museum; in this case, reportedly the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.
Isaacs said, "The show looked great and everything seemed to function well. The audience was enthusiastic, and it brought the photograph-loving community together. Other than museum openings, it's about the only place left for like-minded people to gather."
Stephen Daiter Gallery. (Photo by Scott Rudd. Courtesy of AIPAD.)
Chicago gallerist Stephen Daiter reported, "We thought the fair went well overall. We had some really good conversations with people that could lead to future collaborations, and there was a lot of interest in Lynne Cohen's work, especially her larger-format images, which drew a strong response from visitors and other gallerists.
"Looking back, the overall vibe of our booth was perhaps more somber than previous years at the fair. You always go into AIPAD with a few photographs in mind that you think will sell, and it's always interesting to see what people ultimately respond to. We were all surprised that David Heath's Vengeful Sister, priced at $25,000, didn't sell, as we thought it was one of the strongest works in the presentation. Other works that generated a lot of attention included Harry Callahan's Untitled, 1940–50s, a New York City scene priced at $18,000, André Kertész's Southport, Long Island, 1949, priced at $49,000, and Sid Grossman's Provincetown, 1949, a large exhibition print priced at $25,000."
As for myself, I particularly admired that Sid Grossman photo in Daiter's booth, and I know that other major collectors did too.
Daiter noted some of his own favorites from his fellow exhibitors: "Differing from our booth presentation, we were particularly intrigued by booths that focused on a single artist or project, allowing for a more focused viewing experience. Higher Pictures' presentation of Gina Osterloh was especially compelling; the installation thoughtfully activated the space beyond the photographic frame, encouraging viewers to consider the relationship between image, body, and environment. Rick Wester Fine Art's booth also caught our eye, particularly its presentation of Understory by Amanda Marchand and Leah Sobsey, whose large-scale works emphasized material experimentation and archival engagement, expanding the conversation around photographic practice."
Daiter summed things up: "In terms of the market, this year we experienced stronger institutional engagement, with more museum acquisitions from our booth than in previous editions. While collectors showed significant interest and enthusiasm for the work, there appeared to be greater caution around purchasing decisions, suggesting a more restrained and deliberative market environment overall."
Houston's Catherine Couturier Gallery was busy and did well at the show.
Houston gallerist Catherine Couturier told us, "I had an incredibly good fair. It's by far the best AIPAD I've had since we were at the Armory pre-covid and pre-piers. There were a ton of collectors buying, and I've had follow up sales as well.
"Our new artist, Sander Vos, was definitely our biggest seller this year. I've never sold this many pieces by one artist at a fair, with the possible exception of the one person booth I did with Patty Carroll one year at Expo Chicago. We sold out the small size of one piece and almost sold out two others. We still have the larger size available, but I think there are only two."
She observed: "The show looked fabulous and was incredibly well run. Everybody loves the Armory, and the only complaint I heard from anyone the entire show was that opening night was too crowded. I'll take an action-packed opening over a quiet affair any day, as I had been nervous about the market. I had had a couple of completely dead months here in Houston (the entire state gets nervous when oil and gas futures are in play, as they are thanks to the war with Iran), but AIPAD was non-stop interest in what we were showing. It definitely made me feel like the fine art photography market is alive and well, both in contemporary work and classic."
Couturier shared her own thoughts on some of the work at the show. "As always, I saw a lot of interesting work! Michael Shapiro's booth of classic photography was a total knockout per usual, with a lot of important pieces going to museum collections where they very much belong. I really loved the piece created in a train door in Gana Art's booth, and I couldn't resist buying two pieces by Thomas Dhellemmes from Polka. I love going through the vernacular work in Daniel/Oliver's booth, and I ended up coming home with two pieces from them as well."
Graham Howe just opened a gallery in London, called Curatorial Gallery, which utilizes a part of the name of his other successful operation, Curatorial Assistance. AIPAD was his first fair as a gallery exhibitor.
Howe told us, "For us, the fair was extremely successful in terms of engagement, visibility, and professional connection. We had excellent meetings with curators, collectors, colleagues, old friends, and many new contacts. In that sense, it felt stronger than many previous AIPAD editions, with noticeably higher energy and larger crowds. While sales did not materialize at the level we had hoped, the overall quality of engagement was exceptional. Compared with other fairs, AIPAD remains uniquely strong because of its focused photography audience and knowledgeable community."
Howe noted, "Among our highlights were several exceptional vintage platinum prints by Paul Outerbridge from the early 1920s, which we considered among the most compelling high-value works at the fair. These remain available. We were also very pleased by the level of interest in our presentation overall, particularly in the unique E.O. Hoppé works from his grand tour of the United States in the mid-1920s, which continue to generate strong engagement from both institutions and private collectors."
Howe said, "The Park Avenue Armory remains a wonderful venue for AIPAD. It has an old-world New York character and credibility that gives the fair a distinctive atmosphere, even if it lacks the sleek efficiency of more modern exhibition spaces. As for the market, there is clearly caution at the transactional level, but the enthusiasm and engagement of audiences suggest that interest in serious photographic art remains strong. What stood out most was the resilience and enthusiasm of the photography community. At a moment of broader political and economic uncertainty, the fair felt unusually vibrant. Art continues to provide both solace and affirmation, and AIPAD demonstrated that the appetite for meaningful engagement with photography remains very much alive."
New York gallerist Tom Gitterman told us, "I did well. Last year was extra special but this year was really strong. The main difference was this year there were more sales, but the price point per print was under $20,000, whereas last year there were higher priced works selling. I sold work by Christiane Feser, Jaroslav Rössler, Chargesheimer, Franz Roh, George Platt Lynes, Dan Estabrook, Ralph Eugene Meatyard, Allen Frame, Roger Parry, Ruth Thorne-Thomsen, Iwao Yamawaki, Saul Leiter, James Van Der Zee and Mary Ellen Mark."
Gitterman reported that some of his special works that are still available included: Man Ray's Enigma II, a vintage print from 1935; a platinum-palladium print of Irving Penn's Milkman (A), New York, 1951; a Robert Adams silver gelatin of Fort Collins, CO, 1976; and Joel Sternfeld's McLean, VA, December 4, 1978 in a dye transfer print.
Gitterman said, "I thought the fair looked great and the space is perfect for this fair. The booths were laid out really well, the framing and installations in the booths were very professional and the attendance was excellent. There were a lot of seasoned collectors, curators and more younger people interested."
Sid Monroe of Santa Fe's Monroe Gallery reported good sales this year, even up from last year's excellent results.
Santa Fe gallerist Sid Monroe told us, "This year's edition of the AIPAD fair was successful for us. Given the overall economic and political anxiety, the show seemed to provide at least a temporary relief from the outside turmoil. Sales are currently slightly ahead of last year's, which was a good show. As always, we look forward to the follow up with several post-show sales already in progress.
"We were very happy that sales were evenly spread across our three distinct presentations: Diné (Navajo) photographer Eugene Tapahe's Jingle Dress Project; a selection of contemporary photojournalism with a focus on American politics and recent ICE actions; and a selection of Tony Vaccaro's iconic photographs of Art and Fashion. And sales were distributed across museums, repeat clients and several younger new first-time collectors."
Monroe noted that "the overall look of the Show was terrific. The Show committee and the AIPAD team deserve kudos for their tireless efforts."
While he stayed home in LA to celebrate the birth of his new born son, Douglas Marshall of the Marshall Gallery, Santa Monica, CA, reported on his staff's activity at AIPAD: "Marshall Gallery did well, slightly better--maybe 15% more--than in 2025, with even sales across contemporary/experimental and notable, vintage pieces. Given the gallery owner's absence while on paternity leave and thus taking a smaller stand that last year, this provides even more optimistic views of this year's results.
"We had two notable vintage works: An early 8x10 contact print of Ansel Adams' The Tetons and Snake River, which sold for mid five figures, and a similarly priced early copy of the Yves Klein montage "Leap into the Void" which is currently on hold and under acquisition consideration. Both for private collections. We had strong sales for contemporary artists Albarran Cabrera and especially that of Fabiola Menchelli, whose radical photo-sculptures were the big hit and sold out all seven works that we took to the fair."
Marshall continued, "The current market feels strong, and the Armory continues to prove to be a crucial location with a majority of sales being to local US residents."
Michael Shapiro had returned to the show after skipping last year. He told us, "I thought the show was brilliantly run. The Armory is perfect and makes us look as significant as a location can do. I don't sell contemporary or decorative photography, so I don't know about that side of the market. I do know that rare, academically researched 1920s, 1930s photography still has a rather strong following. A miracle. I never left my booth in five days!"
Daniel/Oliver Gallery reported a 25% increase in sales compared to last year, approaching $200,000 in total with more than 125 works sold, including a group of Walker Evans Polaroids.
The 2026 AIPAD Award was presented during the Opening Evening by former board member Arnika Dawkins and AIPAD Executive Director Lydia Melamed Johnson to Dr. Deborah Willis. Dr. Willis, joined by her family, accepted the honor. (Photo by Erica Price. Courtesy of AIPAD.)
Among the key highlights of the week was the presentation of the 2026 AIPAD Award to Dr. Deborah Willis. The award was presented during the Opening Evening by former board member Arnika Dawkins and AIPAD Executive Director Lydia Melamed Johnson. Dr. Willis, joined by her family, accepted the honor before a large audience of colleagues, friends, admirers and her students.
Dr. Willis will also speak at the Philadelphia Museum of Art on May 29th on Reframing, Curating, Writing, and Imaging in Photography. Tickets are available for the 6 pm lecture, which is part of the museum's Arnold Newman Lecture series, at: https://tinyurl.com/Phillymuseumcom.
The inaugural Focal Point sector proved to be a notable success with participating galleries reporting good sales, institutional interest, and important new opportunities and connections. The sector’s dynamic design and accessible price point for emerging galleries was also widely praised by exhibitors and visitors alike.
The fair’s ambitious programming further distinguished the 2026 edition, offering an in-person platform for critical dialogue across the field. The AIPAD Talks program brought together leading industry voices for conversations that addressed photography’s evolving role in culture, history, and technology. Highlights included a wide-ranging discussion with 2026 AIPAD Award winner Deborah Willis, reflections on Robert Frank’s legacy with Gerhard Steidl, and timely, vital panels on topics such as cultural convergence and camouflauge, photojournalism, and photography’s role in shaping narratives ahead of the United States’ 250th anniversary. Conversations with artists including Laurie Simmons, Tarrah Krajnak and the five Aperture Portfolio Prize finalists offered insight into artistic practice and output.
Show partner highlights include Lead Cultural Partner MUUS Collection with a retrospective exhibition of works by the late, widely celebrated Rosalind Fox Solomon.
AIPAD Show friends: collector and speaker John Bennette; AIPAD member and photo dealer Alex Novak; and collector and art dealer Santa Bannon.
Longstanding show partners also include Aperture's Portfolio Prize Award announcement at the fair, with all five finalists participating in a group exhibition curated by Aperture editors; ICP sponsored the Night of Photography and hosted its first ever Day of Photography in the historic Colonel's Reception Room with additional programming of artist talks and ICP faculty critiques; and NYC Salt students returned to photograph show exhibitors and visitors, capturing portraits inspired by the style of Irving Penn's corner portraits and Richard Avedon's mural.
This year's fair welcomed new show partners, such as Getty Images with an exhibition of photographs from the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Collection curated by Dr. Deborah Willis; AXA XL, Greyrock and Surmount hosted cocktail receptions in the Park Avenue Armory's historic rooms with VIP Show Partner, Maison Billecart-Salmon; and two exclusive off-site receptions for VIPs and Photographers hosted at Summit One Vanderbilt.
Novak has over 49 years experience in the photography-collecting arena. He is a long-time member and formerly board member of the Daguerreian Society, and, when it was still functioning, he was a member of the American Photographic Historical Society (APHS). He organized the 2016 19th-century Photography Show and Conference for the Daguerreian Society in NYC. He is also a long-time member of the Association of International Photography Art Dealers, or AIPAD. Novak has been a member of the board of the nonprofit Photo Review, which publishes both the Photo Review and the Photograph Collector, and is currently on the Photo Review's advisory board. He was a founding member of the Getty Museum Photography Council. He is author of French 19th-Century Master Photographers: Life into Art.
Novak has published numerous photography articles and columns in several newspapers, including the Photograph Collector, Focus magazine and the Daguerreian Society Newsletter. He has been interviewed extensively on the photography art market by the Financial Times, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Philadelphia Inquirer, The Classic magazine, Maine Antique Digest, the Art Newspaper, Art News, Art Business News, Focus magazine, PDN, Black & White magazine, Photographie Internationale, Antiques & the Arts Online, Art Critical and the Photograph Collector newsletter, as well as by many other publications, television programs and websites, both in the USA and in France. He was quoted extensively in the book, "Collectingphotography" by Gerry Badger. He has spoken at numerous photography events and programs.
He writes and publishes the E-Photo Newsletter, the largest circulation newsletter in the field. Novak is also president and owner of Contemporary Works/Vintage Works, a private photography dealer, which sells by appointment and has sold at exhibit shows, such as AIPAD New York and Miami, Art Chicago, Classic Photography LA, Photo LA, Paris Photo, The 19th-century Photography Show, Art Miami, the Daguerreian Society, etc.
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