Evan Mirapaul is one of Pittsburgh’s foremost collectors of photography. He is the founder and driving force behind Fugitive Vision, a consulting firm that promotes photography related events and projects. In April this year he organised the first PGH Photo Fair, held over two days in the former YMCA building in East Liberty, which brought six internationally renowned dealers in photography to the city. With a holding of over two hundred fine art photographs and a few hundred more vernacular pieces besides, the scope of Mirapaul’s collection impressively broad. It comprises work by photographers internationally, both established names as well as newer talent, and images dating from as early as 1852 to the present day. I spoke to him about his collecting tastes and habits, and his views on the photography scene in Pittsburgh.

Jocelyn Phillips (JP): How long have you been collecting photography and what first drew you to the medium?

Evan Mirapaul (EM): I have been collecting for a little over twenty years, though not with equal intensity in that span – the last seven years have been the most focused. While I had been aware of photography since I was a child, the first serious encounter with it came when I attended the major exhibition On the Art of Fixing a Shadow: 150 Years of Photography [National Gallery of Art, Washington DC, May-July 1989] commemorating the 150th anniversary of the medium. I was struck especially by the more contemporary work, which pushed my ideas of what photography could be – like the work of Duane Michals and David Hockney’s Polaroid collages.

JP: What was your first acquisition?

EM: Ruth Bernhard’s In The Box, Horizontal.

JP: Is there a theme to your collection?

EM: I would not say there is a theme. I like layers, whether that is a literal description or a metaphorical one. In recent years, I have become more interested in collecting more deeply into an artist’s work rather than buying a single piece.

JP: How much research do you do around a new photographer or photograph before purchase?

EM: I do a lot. I often meet the artist, know the CV, sometimes do a studio visit, and try to get an overview of the entire opus to date. If I need to read more to understand, then I read. I don’t do financial research, but I do make sure that I’m getting the fairest possible price and that the work fits my ideas of proportional price within the marketplace. I’m not overly concerned with (return on) investment.

JP: Where and how widely do you search for new additions to the collection?

EM: I do my own looking. I do go to fairs but I find them increasingly unsatisfying and unhelpful. I look in auctions for particular, undervalued work that is on a search list. I sit on portfolio reviews, go to MFA shows, and visit lesser known markets directly. There are a small handful of curators and gallery owners whose opinion I value. I take a long look when they suggest someone to check out. But that’s a two way street: as often they take names from me, which I have discovered in my travels and research.

JP: What inspiration does your city offer for the discovery of photography?

EM: There are fine shows across all media in Pittsburgh. The gallery scene is not the most active, but the major institutions all mount important shows and are supported by active collector groups. I have tried to add to the discussion by founding the photo fair, hosting photo related social events, and inviting artists to come and work in Pittsburgh.

JP: How has your taste changed since you first started collecting?

EM: I have moved from being primarily interested in the image to being more interested in process and concept, for example Anthony Goicolea’s Related series, and the work of Sam Falls, Alison Rossiter and Chris McCaw.

JP: Do you also collect photo books?

EM: I have an interest but I don’t collect them. They are a tool for my research and a pleasure to see, but I don’t have a buying strategy for them or a conceptual goal in amassing them. There are also examples of artists where I enjoy seeing the work but don’t need or want to own examples of the work. I would say my works on paper are a collection and my books are an accumulation.

JP: What do you have your eye on next?

EM: The next thing, of course.