I missed last year’s IMATS because of family health problems so it was good to be able to get there this year.

As always the keynotes were high quality: I mean Rick Baker, say no more. Though I have to admit that I missed him. When it came to the choice between spending a rare day with my grand-daughters or going back to Ally Pally, they won. 

In part at least they won because I came away from Saturday with an impression that IMATS had gone downhill from 2006:
1) I like Ally Pally but it’s a pain of a location. It is so remote from anything that it’s impractical to nip out to a cafe (or for some neurofen). The queue for food was so bad when I tried that I just decided to skip lunch and have a sandwich on the way home. At least it didn’t rain — the open Ally Pally station could have been truly miserable in January rain. And if I were female I’m not sure that it would be a platform I’d feel comfortable on after leaving the Afterglow on my own.
2) I had the impression of fewer exhibitors — carefully disguised by spreading the stands out. For instance Blasco and Blanche MacDonald weren’t there
3) there seemed to be less to keep you interested on the floor. For example Makeup Designatory had a stand but no demos as in previous years, and both Blasco and Blanche MacDonald had demos when they attended; even MAC had fewer bodypainting models than I remember. On Saturday I saw only one makeup involving prosthetics being done on the exhibtion floor; in both 2005 and 2006 I recall drifting back and forth between three or four prosthetic applications, as well as seeing someone applying pointed ears to visitors.

I worry that IMATS appears to have a very narrow base. I thought this was intended to be a European IMATS but although it has many attendees from all over Europe (I saw people from Sweden, France and Bulgaria amongst others), both students and established artists, the European (as opposed to UK) nature of the show is not reflected in the balance of educators, speakers, exhibitors, or in the museum. When I first went to IMATS I thought that its European nature would develop naturally or be encouraged over time — as far as I can see it’s stalled. I recall that the show used to be badged IMATS Europe rather than IMATS London — maybe that inclusive European ambition has died.  

Whatever, I find this worrying for the long-term health of IMATS. What is wrong with IMATS that schools like Hasso von Hugo don’t find it beneficial to attend? How come a European show is not featuring people like NomanslandFX, Atelier Rebele, Georg Korpas, DDT, Soda FX . . .Equally worryingly it’s support base in the UK seems narrow. Neill Gorton is a great supporter, and his demos are invariably brilliant and entertaining. But IMATS’s reliance on Neill is as much a weakness as his support is a strength. One does come away with the impression that if Neill Gorton broke his wrist IMATS would be f**ked. And how come HybridFX, Altered States, Aaron Sherman and the rest have never done a major demo that I can recall.But don’t get me wrong, I had a great time and I’ll be there again next year.