I had similiar feelings when I was there last year and the year before that. That I was really seeing the commercial/business side of things – and felt a little cheated – where were the surprises? The galleries or dealers going out on a limb? It all felt very safe. (I thought this year with the Middle-Eastern theme you might see something different).

To take a stand however (we looked into it for the first time this year) is horrendously expensive so I guess if you exhibit – what’s up on your walls has to be a pretty safe bet to cover your costs…

Interesting you liked Lao Yu. He was exhibited last year too and I was blown away by them aswell – you really need to see them as large photographic prints – none of the reproductions in books or magazines do them justice…

I think it’s good that Magnum & Agence Vu have a presence at events like this. It’s good to make people feel a little uncomfortable every now and then. Makes them think.

Surely a documentary photographer has to chosen to “communicate” something – why should the method of distributing that message be restricted to traditional avenues? And because something has an aesthetic value does that it mean its message is devalued?

Brings to my mind writers/commentators like Malcolm Gladwell for example – who write to entertain AND inform at the same time. Their ideas and messages reach a much wider audience that way…

A sweet pill gets swallowed more readily than a bitter one… But I guess the thing is whether the good effects are diluted if they have a sugar-coating…?
I have no answer to this…

Lastly think what you say about S.P.’s strength as an “outsider” is interesting.

I can draw parallels between Street Photography and Street Art – both come out of a passion – and are made “just because”.

Just becuase the photographer or artist felt like it.

Street Art, as we all know has become appropriated by the conventional art world fetching huge prices – and there are endless books published on the subject – but what I find interesting is on the whole the artists seem perfectly able to reconcile this with their own personal work – considering the prices (& celeb collectors) there aren’t really that many accusations of “selling-out”…

Because the artists are staying true to their roots?

J