MIA Fair, the international photography fair Milan Image Art, goes East. The 2014 edition of the fair in Italy will be in May and the organisers expect the renewal of their success. But the challenging adventure for MIA this year is its first time ever exhibition in Asia. The choice of the Asian city, Singapore, is not a chance decision.
Today L’Oeil de la Photographie talked to Lorenza Castelli, Exhibition Director of MIA.
Why Singapore and how started the collaboration with the Singapore International Photography Festival?
“We have decided to organise our first international edition after visiting several places worldwide. Singapore is investing heavily in arts and culture, and has established itself as the central arts hub of the Asia Pacific Region, attracting new talents and collectors. Singapore is a gateway between West and East, and perfectly fits with our proposal, which consists in a 50- 50% between western and Asian photography. Furthermore, the excellent infrastructure, no bureaucracy and transparency make Singapore a perfect destination for organising a commercial fair.
The collaboration between MIA Fair and the Singapore International Photography Festival started with the meeting of Gwen Lee, its founder. The idea is to join forces in order to promote and raise awareness of the key role photography has come to play in contemporary culture and art system.”
Last January, Singapore hosted, at the same time, two different events related to contemporary art: Singapore Biennale and Art Stage. Singapore is hugely investing in culture and art, the double-events in January are the right example of how it is possible to connect art as curatorial research and experience and art as commerce and business. How does MIA Fair think of making this connection real and positively effective in photography?
“I think that the partnership with Singapore International Photography Festival could be the keypoint. Connecting culture and commerce is more important nowadays , culture and research are fundamental to the art market and viceversa ,market helps produce good art at all levels.
MIA Fair is also collaborating on a project curated by Gwen Lee hosted at MIA Fair about Singaporean photographers . Furthermore, MIA Fair is also organising a curatorial platform with Loredana Paracciani, regarding the Mekong area and Hispanic-Iberic area with Aristides Santana and Omar Pascual Castillo.”
Do you plan to organise events related to education and to the reasons of photography collecting?
“MIA Fair strongly promotes education on photography. MIA Fair aims at forming a new and young collectors’ base, which is approaching contemporary art through photography, and offering experienced art collectors the possibility to enjoy a lively, fresh and interesting event.
Educational is seminal in MIA Fair’s format, in fact we have an interesting cultural program . Seminars, lecture magistralis and round tables are organised covering a range from the history of photographic image to its market system, from the world of collecting to other experiences in curatorship and display.”
Which ingredients are in common with the Milan edition in May and which ones will be totally different and original?
“The topic, which is the focus on image and on photography, will remain the first common ingredient between the Milan and the Singapore edition.
MIA Fair Milano is distinguished for presenting only one artists , so all booth are solo shows. In Singapore we decided to open up to more artists in a booth even though we ask for a maximum of three artists in order not to have the booth too crowded.
As in the Milan’s edition there will be a special section dedicated to “MIA Proposal”, independent artists – not represented by any gallery -who will have the chance to exhibit and so create new contacts with galleries and public. The same section in Milan had great results, in fact more than half of these artists are now exhibiting in shows and working with art galleries.
Another shared ingredient between Milano and Singapore is the cultural program. In Milan 10 round tables, 18 publishing presentations and 20 book signing and sessions organised with international guests took place in the last edition.
I am happy to talk for the first time about the innovative ingredient of MIA Fair Singapore: a capsule of design showcasing collectible furniture and objects exhibited through several design galleries. Design is one of the most relevant and appreciated product of the Italian creativity, as art is, so I think that MIA Fair could for the first occasion put them together in a commercial / cultural event.
As photography did, design historically turned into various “artistic periods”. More then ever, in the last twenty years, photography and design have a similar language.
Nowadays photography represents not only a decorative Medium, but is considered one of the highest expression of contemporary art. In the same way design is not just simple furniture, but creativity and functionality together, which can collectible.
We would like to dedicate a special design section for our new Singapore Edition, proposing a dialogue between photography and design. But more than this, I wish that design galleries may interact directly with photography.
Galleries may share their booths showcasing Art & Craft masterpieces together with photography works.”
Will MIA Singapore dedicate space to the photography book publishing? What about new media related to photography?
“Since its first edition in Milan, MIA Fair has given a great prominence to the book publication, dedicating a special sector to specialized bookshops, big publishers, independent publishers and self-publishers and book exhibitions in collaboration with the Photobook Dummy Award. Also on the educational side MIA Fair dedicates to publishing conferences, a programme of editorial presentations, and authors’ booksigning.
About the new media MIA Fair has in its own definition – Milan Image Art Fair – the key of its mission on photography. MIA Fair is a fair focused on “IMAGE” in all its forms and shapes. There will be some exhibitors proposing video, and the brand new evolution of “image” which is for example holograms”.
What are your expectations in terms of quality and quantity?
“In terms of quality, all projects proposed are selected by the MIA Fair Committee.
MIA Fair Singapore will present established and mid- career artists, but I would like to underline that the criteria is always the quality of the project.
MIA Fair Singapore will be a platform for new encounters and cultural exchanges on photography between Asia and Western countries, and this will enrich the quality and diversity of art presented. In terms of quantity up to 80 international galleries and artists will exhibit photography, video and collectible design”.
MIA – Milan Image Art Fair
Milan, Italy
23-25 May 2014
http://www.miafair.it/
Singapore
24-26 October 2014
http://www.miafair.it/singapore/
