FoLa is the latest addition to the blooming Buenos Aires arts scene, offering a multifaceted platform for the appreciation of Latin American photography. Owner Gaston Deleau has over a decade of experience working within the local photographic scene, as co-founder of the Buenos Aires Photo fair that he co-launched, sowing the seed for FoLa, which opened 12 years later.
’FoLa is not an art gallery; rather, [it’s] a place to exhibit and reflect on photography, which provides a space to generate dialogue for the community, and a home for Argentine photographers,’ he explains. It already boasts a private collection of over 250 Latin American works.
Located in the heart of Palermo, the 1,200 sq m hub is divided into three exhibition spaces, with an auditorium, offices, storerooms and a backroom. Housed in a vast converted warehouse and designed by Kelly Lestard Maldonado, white washed walls and polished concrete floors run throughout with industrial detailing such as the curved metal girders overhead.
A specialised bookshop located at the entrance stocks in-house publications, special editions and artist portfolios in limited numbers. In addition to the regular exhibitions that run throughout the year, the FARFOCO (The Annual Forum for Reflection on Contemporary Photography) programme will commence in March 2016, alongside a portfolio revision initiative, offering a residency programme for international artists.
