In early May, the Affordable Art Fair in Hampstead brought together contemporary galleries and living artists from around the world, from India and South Korea to France and the USA.
Some new galleries worth noting joined the line up including Harmer Gallery who champions underrepresented and emerging artists of the African diaspora, the Quantus Gallery showcasing blind artist Clarke Reynolds’ work which uses Braille dots to create textured, interactive artworks as well as the Parisian De Medicis Gallery, who showcased affordable work by Damien Hirst.
According to Mcgee Gallery exhibited beautiful paintings from their Yorkshire-based artists and the Punchbowl Gallery from Grayshott, brought a number of photorealist artists and photographers including Jon McRae, whose work centres on London landmarks.
From Germany, the Schwarm Collective was showing Vicky Anna Lardschneider whose stunning birds’ eye view paintings pay homage to mother nature, and capture the wonders and scars of the planet.
The Spanish Galería Bea Villamarín from Gijón showcased architectural sculptures and abstract paintings.
Across the fair artist David Bellingham installed a programme of interventions and installations for curious art lovers of all ages to discover. Graduating from Glasgow School of Art in 1991, David Bellingham’s work uses text and objects to make thought-provoking pieces, which challenge our pre-conceptions through humour, encouraging the viewer to see things from a new perspective.
His collection for Affordable Art Fair Hampstead called Everyone Play Together featured a range of new and recent works placed in specific situations. David was born in South London and lives and works in Glasgow and Copenhagen.
Hugo Barclay, Fair Director, said:
“David Bellingham is one of art’s ‘best kept secrets’. An artist that has accumulated a vast catalogue of work in recent decades. My particular interest in his work is the way he approaches meaning; he uses language and combinations of words and timing, and he uses humour to ground us in the present and remind us that there is more to objects, place, colour, and – ultimately – to life than what’s on the surface.”
CURATED COLLECTIONS
Art Fit for a King
To mark the Coronation of King Charles III, the fair also showcased its own ‘royal collection’ of affordable artworks, perfect for those looking for a specially creative way to mark this once-in-a-lifetime moment in history. Featured artworks included a limited edition print created especially to mark the Coronation by London based master draftsman Adam Dant (TAG Fine Arts) whose wonderfully detailed pieces have earned him the nickname ‘the modern Hogarth’, and a stunning still life composition by photographer Kate Woodman (S & P Gallery); bringing flashes of the Dutch Golden Age into the 21st century.
The Power of Words
Art and literature have always been happy bedfellows, with artists and authors seeking inspiration from opposing mediums throughout history. In this new display, Affordable Art Fair celebrated the power of words in art with a typographical collection of artworks all embracing the the written word, whether that’s in the cult-hit ‘hate plates’ of London based artist Dan Jamieson (Air Contemporary) which use witty statements to admonish their viewers, to beautiful text in Hindi by Natasha Kumar (Airavata Gallery) and dreamy 1950s inspired prints by Mr. Controversial (S & P Gallery).
Finds Under £500 in partnership with JM Finn
From printmaking and photography to sculpture, ceramics, collage and mixed media, there were plenty of gems to be found for under £500 including the charming portrait painting – Fearless – by Sophia Oshodin (Harmer Gallery) and wanderlust prints by Maxine Gregson, represented by North London Printmakers. Also, the Venus painting by Juan Escudero caught our eye, represented by Pigment Gallery.
For more information about the next Affordable Art fair, please visit the Affordable Art Fair website.
For more information about mentioned artists and galleries, please click or tap on the links.
Cover photo credit: Piers Allardyce
Cover image: art by Francois du Plessis, Chiefs & Spirits
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