London Art Fair 2009

Is the art market crashing or is it going to crash a year and a half after the "financial crisis" ?

London Art Fair, the largest Modern British and contemporary art showcase in the UK, is apparently alright and only the smallest galleries were today suffering from the economic downturn. With a reputation both for quality and accessibility, the Fair brings together over a hundred leading British galleries, a selection of international projects and a showcase of contemporary photography at Islington’s Business Design Centre, Islington, which means that you can buy artworks from £20 to £1million pounds.

This year, the Art Projects section of the Fair welcomes a selection of galleries from New York, Madrid, Beijing, Frankfurt, Dublin, Belfast and London. Art Projects is a platform for galleries to bring stimulating and experimental contemporary practice to the Fair.

Photo50, successfully launched at the Fair in 2007, returns with a curated display of 50 photographs drawn from the international photographic scene. Major artists are positioned alongside rising stars and all the work on display will again be for sale.

Also amongst Art Projects, HF Contemporary Art will show important pieces by the seminal "Viennese Actionist" Hermann Nitsch, I-MYU Projects will profile emerging art from Korea, Flowers will show Max Dean's robotic collapsing chair.

A recession-busting £20 Video Booth offers high-quality, editioned video art works for only £20. The aim is to introduce a new audience to video art and to profile artists early in their careers. Each edition will be signed and sold in a specially made case.

Husband and wife team Rob and Nick Carter work together to create what they describe as ‘images without cameras and paintings without brushes’. Their site-specific billboard installation outside the Fair consists of 42 neon words on a white aluminium board which explores the 'stroop' effect - the difficulty people have in reacting to words illustrated in a colour specifically different to that which it spells. Individual words are for sale at the Fine Art Society's booth in the Fair. Rob and Nick's work is collected by Elton John, David and Victoria Beckham, Simon Fuller, Philip Treacy and Mathew Williamson.

The preview evening party welcomed Gavin Turk, Adam Dant and rumoured was Sophie Dahl...

To learn more: http://www.londonartfair.co.uk/

20th year for London Art Fair

Paul Stolper

Gavin Turk - Camouflage Fright Wig

20th year for London Art Fair
16 – 20 January 2008 at the Business Design Centre, Islington


London Art Fair is preparing to launch its third decade as the largest Modern British and Contemporary art showcase in the UK. Unmatched in reputation both for quality and accessibility, the Fair celebrates its 20th year in 2008, bringing together one hundred leading British galleries, twenty unique projects and a curated photography exhibition at Islington’s Business Design Centre. Galleries have been chosen following a rigorous selection process, and represent a broad span of artists from early 20th century British Art to the most recent contemporary practice.


Exhibiting galleries at the Fair play host to early influential figures such as Elizabeth Frink, Mary Feddon, Terry Frost and LS Lowry juxtaposed with the work of living artists – emerging and established – including Marilène Oliver, Tim Noble and Sue Webster, Gavin Turk and Banksy. The galleries represented demonstrate this variety, and include Alan Cristea, Flowers, Ben Brown/Louisa Guinness, Michael Hoppen and Richard Green.

Alan Cristea

Boo Ritson - Pink

London Art Fair is delighted to again be working with Terrence Higgins Trust as Charity Partner following their successful collaboration in 2006. The Fair will host a fundraising auction of work marking the 25th anniversary of the charity's foundation, taking place on the Preview Evening (15 January 2008) with contributions from leading contemporary artists including Tracey Emin, Stella Vine, Mona Hatoum and Wolfgang Tillmans who have all donated work on the theme of 'Promises'.
Art Projects returns for its fourth year with 20 galleries from the UK, France, Switzerland and the Netherlands, presenting curated displays that encompass contemporary painting and drawing, large scale sculpture and installation, photography and video. Art Projects gives dealers a chance to experiment, show less commercial work and demonstrate the personality of their gallery with profiles of emerging artists in both solo shows and group presentations.


Photography has grown in profile at the Fair in recent years and Photo50, successfully launched in 2007, draws together recent developments in the medium within a permanent curated section of the Fair. This exhibition of 50 works – all of which are for sale – will again be organised and selected by the Curating Programme at Goldsmiths, University of London.

Forster Gallery
Andrew McAttee - Marvel

London Art Fair aims to uphold a unique and supportive approach to collecting, and takes pride in accommodating every level of collector and presenting opportunities to buy across the spectrum of the art market. Visitors can expect museum quality pieces in excess of £500,000, while novice collectors should find works for investment from as little as £50.


To learn more: http://www.londonartfair.co.uk/