Acclaimed as a showcase for the best in the photographic arts, photo l.a. continues to be one of the most dynamic and energized art fairs in the world. Operating since 1992, photo l.a.’s rich and distinguished history has influenced the transforming art/photography landscape of Los Angeles. Many important artists have been introduced to the public at photo l.a. and the fair has played a crucial role in the cultural life of Los Angeles.

Photo l.a. opens at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium January 17  with a preview reception for the benefit of Inner-City Arts on January 17, 2013 from 6 – 9 pm and runs through January 21. Tickets for the preview reception are $80.  One day admission to the fair is $20 ($25 at the door), and a weekend pass is $30. There are additional costs for the various panels and docent tours. For ticketing details, click here.

With over 10,000 visitors, photo l.a. is considered the best platform for meeting with collectors, curators and artists in Los Angeles. The outstanding programming series continues to address the most current topics in the converging worlds of art and photography. Plus there are all the booths of awesome books, including Zero+ Publishing.  CARTWHEEL’s  got an interview with Zero+  founder Kirk Pedersen, so check it out and when you’re at photo l.a., drop by his booth and say hi.

Some the ticketed programming highlights include:

Friday, January 18
5:30 – 7:00pm
Collecting: New Platforms: Virtual Markets and Art Databases
Roundtable discussion with Rachel Peart (Director Consignments, Heritage Auctions), Christopher Sweet (Photography Specialist, Artnet), Chris Davies (Publisher and Curator, Founder of ArtCapitol & Fabrik Magazine) and Celeste Jovanovich (Fahey Klein Gallery, 1st Dibs).

Saturday, January 19
1:30 – 3:00pm
Mapplethorpe at LACMA and The J. Paul Getty Museum
Britt Salvesen, LACMA Head Curator of the Wallis Annenberg Department, of Photography (Robert Mapplethorpe: XYZ), Frances Terpak, Curator of, Collection Development at the Getty Research Institute (Robert Mapplethorpe Archive), and James Crump, Chief Curator, Cincinnati Museum of Art, (Maker of the film Black White + Gray, A Portrait of Sam Wagstaff + Robert Mapplethorpe) will discuss the simultaneous, exhibitions of the artist’s work and his continued cultural and artistic significance.

3:30 – 5:00pm
Collecting: A Critical Perspective: The Changing Market
Moderated by Weston Naef (Curator Emeritus, Dept. of Photographs, The J. Paul Getty Museum), with Keith F. Davis (Senior Curator of Photography, Nelson-Atkins Museum), Gloria Katz-Huyck (Collector), Kevin Moore (Curator & Art Advisor), Daniel Greenberg (Collector), Jerry Sohn (Collector) and others.

5:30 – 7:00pm
Face Off, The Anarchy of Imagery: Art, Archives and Post-Photography
Artillery Magazine  hosts one of its popular debates. Moderated by Tulsa Kinney (Editor of Artillery) with Colin Westerbeck (Curator and Writer), and Ken Gonzales-Day (Artist).

Sunday, January 20

3:30 – 5:00pm
Art in Fashion
Ivan Shaw (Photography Director at Vogue Magazine) leads a roundtable discussion with Kevin Moore (Curator & Art Advisor), Juan Carlos Obando (Fashion Designer), and Vanessa Kramer (Worldwide Head, Department of Photographs, Phillips de Pury) and Jed Root (Founder Jed Root Inc. a premiere agency for leading fashion photographers, stylists, hair and makeup artists within the fashion industry).

Monday, January 21

11:30am – 1:00pm
The Photo Book
Roundtable discussion moderated by Manfred Heiting (Collector) with Dian Hanson (Taschen, Book Editor), Jonathan Brown (Leadapron), Eric Chaim Kline (Bookseller, Member Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America), Nicholas Fahey (Art Book Apps) and Lee Kaplan (Arcana Books on the Arts).