AFFORDABLE ART FAIR WITH THAT HAPPY FACTOR

What a pleasure to wander through the Affordable Art Fair in Battersea Park after visiting the execrable displays competing for the Turner Prize, earlier in the week. Currently showing until 24th October, the AAF covers what most people define as ‘real art’ - painting, sculpting, print-making and photography.

More than 100 galleries are gathered together under one roof where you can stroll in a simple, well-lit and relaxed environment. Absent is the snobbishness often pervading West End galleries. Here you can chat to the artist about his or her work. There are also hands-on workshops covering everything from print-making, drawing and sculpture to abstract painting.

At previous fairs, I've felt that abstract painting was not well represented so it is good to see it catching up to the ‘farmyard art’ so popular with many British artists. There are still plenty of horses, cows and colourful gardens, but the ratio is now roughly 50-50 with many highly original displays to ponder over.

It is probably invidious to select anything from the level playing field, but I especially liked Trevor Price’s flesh-toned octopus-like couples, Susan Foord’s luminous abstracts and the innovative collages combining nature and antique curiosities called 'Still Remains' exhibited by the Columbia Road Gallery on Stand K8.

The Affordable Art Fair leaves you with that ‘feel good’ factor. And who knows you may even find that statement piece for your flat. Works are priced between £50 and £3000, the exhibition is open from 11am-6pm. Ticket prices from £10-20, children under 16 are free.

AAFs are also held in Amsterdam, New York, Brussels, Sydney and Melbourne with a Singapore launch in November and Milan in February 2011.

www.trevorprice.co.uk

www.affordableartfair.com

AFFORDABLE ART FAIR HAS SOMETHING FOR ALL TASTES AND POCKETS

The crocuses are up: it`s time for the Affordable Art Fair in Battersea Park!

I attend the fair every year and rate it as one of the most enjoyable occasions in the London Art Calendar. So do other art lovers: a record 25,000 people visited the show on its 10th anniversary in 2009.

The AAF which is now international (Amsterdam, Paris, Brussels, Milan, New York, Singapore, Hong Kong, Sydney and Melbourne) is the creation of Will Ramsay whose aim was to remove the formality out of buying art.

Ever felt inhibited about going into a gallery off the street? The receptionist is sitting at a desk ignoring you. Or pestering you about what she/he likes and not what caught your eye in the first place? Or left alone, have you latched onto a painting, only to find it way above your price range?

Well yes. It happens to a lot of us which is why the AAF is so popular. There`s no pressure to buy and with prices starting at £50 and a ceiling of £3,000, it`s affordable to to all. And many artists themselves are there to discuss their work.

This year there are 120 stands displaying everything from fine art and contemporary painting, to sculpture in almost every medium you can think of and yes, photographs - woo-hoo!

Of course collecting art is a very personal experience, but I particularly liked the prints based on Iraqi folk-tales by South African-born Susan Moxley. The fine abstracts encapsulating emotion and thought, by young Worcestershire artist Kelly Washbourne also stood out among the thousands of colourful works.

Affordable Art Fair runs from 11th -14 March.

Photo: Rising young artist KellyWashbourne

Photo: Susan Moxley with her prints

Source: www.copix.co.uk