Only a few days are left until Paris Photo (13th-16th November), the world’s leading fair in the field of photography, which gathers operators, experts, collectors and people passionate about photography from all over the world. An event created in 1997 by Rick Gadella, a Dutch publisher who managed to bring together at the prestigious Carrousel de Louvre a powerful mix of galleries specialised in contemporary artists who use the camera as their exclusive means of expression. In little time Paris Photo has become the first photographic fair-market in the world, owing to the high quality of its exhibitors, the originality of the concept (a balance between modern, contemporary and photography), its international scope and a discerning and enthusiastic public which is passionate about ancient and contemporary photography.

Indeed, Paris Photo is a unique event offering a panorama of photography from its origins to the present day and, furthermore, it presents a complete overview of the global tendencies and the expressions that this artistic means offers. For the 2008 edition it will be Japan’s turns, following Italy, to be guest of honour at Paris Photo. Indeed, last year Italy was the main object of the fair, and even the protagonist of many collateral events held throughout the French capital. Paris Photo is going to give Japan the place of honour. First Asian country that introduced photography in 1850 and that over the years has always imposed an original and diversified production, leading to the development of an important photographic scenery, recognised at international level. Therefore, for the first time the fair is going to concentrate its attention on the Far East, following also the wake of international interest towards Japanese photography, which will be represented by about eighty artists. About thirty galleries of the sector will present the great masters of Japanese photography, from Shoji Ueda to Ihei Kimura, Masahisa Fukase. Eiloh Hosoe, Shomei Tomastu, and also contemporaries like Hiroshi Sugimoto, Nobuyoshi Araki, Daido Moriyama, Naoya Hatakeyama. Paris Photo, which will be held between 13th and 16th November, will gather 106 specialised exhibitors – 85 galleries plus 21 publishers – from nineteen different countries, including Italy with Guido Costa Project and Barancolini Grimaldi. On this occasion we will also see some innovations. Indeed, the 2008 selection is dominated by change that brings with it some records: in the choice of new galleries (32 new arrivals) and in the International participation (78% non-French exhibitors). The United States are the first representation with 18 galleries, followed by France (17 galleries), Japan (14), Germany, Spain and United Kingdom (7 galleries each). Without forgetting the actual debut for Australia and India. Furthermore, the event will present the fifth edition of the BMW Paris Photo prize, which has become an actual Turner Prize for photography. Created in 2003 to support contemporary art, this prize is now a true international point of reference. Reserved to artists presented by the galleries that take part in the Paris Photo, the prize, awarded by a prestigious jury of international experts, crowns every year the oeuvre of an artist/photographer who works on a given issue related to the BMW universe. The theme for 2008 is “Never Stand Still” and the winner will receive an award of 12 thousand euros. We hope that Paris Photo 2008 maintains the same economic prestige achieved last year, although the signs of a crisis do not seem very promising for business. And hopefully there will be a dynamic atmosphere full of attention towards a reality and a market that, despite being still far from contemporary art in terms of business figures, are growing significantly. We must point out that the market of photography, in the last ten years, has had an extraordinary rise in the world market owing to a wide public, favoured in its purchases by more contained prices compared to paintings.