The London edition of the Affordable Art Fair is a twice-yearly event alternating between both sides of the River Thames. From 16–19 June, it was held in Hampstead Heath with over 100 galleries exhibiting works priced between £100 and £5,000.
AM rarely discovers much it would sacrifice a finger for when visiting the AAF. But as with flea markets and record stores, the real fun is in trawling and sifting, searching for that elusive gem. At cheaper fairs especially, a default curatorial and hanging style seems to be “Stack ’em high”. It’s pretty much guaranteed to influence one’s perception of the art on display, usually for the worse. Part of the challenge therefore is to re-imagine pieces in a different context — like alone in a spartan setting rather than competing for space and attention in a packed exhibition marquee. See what caught our eye this time around (including the above work by Dana Wyse).
Dana Wyse, detail from the work-in-progress ‘Jesus Had A Sister Productions’, Mixed media. Richard Goodall Gallery (Manchester)
Dana Wyse, ‘Jesus Had A Sister Productions’ work-in-progress, Mixed media installation. Richard Goodall Gallery (Manchester)
Ray Caesar, ‘Old Wounds’, 2015, Ultrachrome pigment print on paper, 60 x 60 cm (unframed). Richard Goodall Gallery (Manchester)
Affordable Art Fair, Hampstead, London
Grayson Perry, from the series ‘Six Snapshots of Julie’, 2015, Woodcut with lithographic underlay, 75.5 x 48.5 cm, Manifold Editions (London)
Paul Morrison, ‘Psychotrope’, 2013, Screenprint, 73.5 x 99 cm. Manifold Editions (London)
Beth Richardson, ‘Birches’, 2016, Acrylic on canvas, 128 x 128 cm. GreenStage Gallery (Worcester)
Alasdair Wallace, ‘Ancestor Figure’, 2012, Etching. Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery (London / New York)
Daniel Sueiras Fanjul, ‘S.N. – Retrato Ilustre CXIV’, Oil on wood, 67 x 48 cm (framed). Urbane Art Gallery (Edinburgh)
Daniel Sueiras Fanjul, ‘S.N. – Retrato Ilustre CXIV’ (detail)
Pum, ‘Architect’, Collage. Broth Art (London)
Sun Tae Hwang, ‘The Sunny Room’, Tempered glass, sandblast and LED, 31 x 67 x 4.5 cm. Gallery Tableau (Seoul, South Korea)
Caroline Pedler, ‘Escape’, Acrylic on paper, 21 x 15 cm. REN Fine Art (Penzance)
Jozsef Csato, ‘Black and White’, 2012, Oil on canvas, 68 x 46 cm. Z10 / Zsofi Postyn (London)
Tomas Clayton, ‘French Windows’, Oil on board, 60 x 60 cm. The Contemporary Fine Art Gallery Eton (Eton)
Martin Langford, Title unknown, Etching. For Arts Sake (Greater London)
David Shrigley, ‘It’s OK’, 2016, 10-colour screenprint, 20.8 x 14.5 cm. Jealous Gallery (London)
Photo credit and text: Patrick Nguyen.
