In her new body of work, Nydia Blas turns her camera to her new home in Atlanta, Georgia. Born and raised in New York, Blas never thought that she would move to the American South. When escaping from slavery, enslaved Africans fled to the North by following the stars. Now Blas finds herself looking at those same stars, and contemplating her place in this new city as well as her place in America. As W.E.B. Dubois explores in “The Souls of Black Folk,” Blas attempts to reconcile with the double consciousness of being of African descent in America – seeing yourself through your own eyes and through the eyes of others. Blas visually illustrates these notions of value in reflections of gold and mirror in her signature style of magical realism. Her images create a space where her subjects de-center whiteness and focus on the interior. Through her intimate and lyrical portraits of her family, she helps further the ideals of Afrofuturism – a Black future that stems from Afrodiasporic experiences and unapologetically celebrates the uniqueness and innovation of Black culture. She simultaneously explores her new backyard – photographing the stars, the tangled flora, and the ground which generations before her have walked upon. For Blas, Atlanta is a city that is magical in the strength and presence of Black people, a landscape where she and her family are able to dream of a future.

Welcome to photo l.a.’s first edition of Virtual Collect + Connect

Join us online June 27th – 28th for photo l.a.’s first-ever virtual photo fair. They’ve reimagined the traditional fair space to digitally connect galleries and private dealers, collectors, photographers and enthusiasts from around the globe.

No longer confined to four walls, photo l.a.’s virtual photo fair will play host to over forty exhibitors via interactive, 3D booths accessed via the Whova app and on the photo l.a. website.

Here’s how it works:

– Sign up for a $20 all-inclusive Weekend Pass on EventBrite

– On your phone download the Whova app in your device’s app store, and register your account

– Create a custom profile on the app to network with industry elite

– If you will be using a desk/laptop, once you pay you can sign in at the desktop link

– Then starting on June 1st login and plan your day or weekend at Virtual Collect + Connect

– Login on to the app or website or on June 27th and 28th for our inaugural virtual event.