Affordable Art Fair 2016 in Battersea

It’s a busy time of year in the art world, and with top-end auction prices cooling down, the lower end of the art market is going from strength to strength. Art-buying events like the Affordable Art Fair are flourishing, and October’s edition in leafy Battersea park offers something for everyone.

The fair is also supporting young artists by hosting an exhibition of works by recent graduates chosen by curator Medeia Cohan. This includes a fun piece by Tom Stewart where gym rings hang from a cloud of balloons. Visitors are encouraged to swing from the balloons in this interactive work, transforming the traditionally hands-off gallery space into a playground. And of course, Instagram opportunities in the art world don’t get much better than this.

There are some interesting pieces by young artists elsewhere in the fair, particularly at DegreeArt.com’s stand. Sophie Derrick paints her own face with thick smears of acrylic and photographs the results. She then adds additional daubs of paint to the surface of the printed photo, creating a unique hybrid that is simultaneously painterly, photographic and sculptural.

The selection of prints on offer throughout the fair is impressive, and many are available for £50-£300, making them a genuinely affordable option. Try Print Club London and the Greenwich Printmakers Gallery for a fantastic range of subjects and styles.

This year’s edition of the Affordable Art Fair is supporting children’s charity Barnardos, who use art therapy to help young people deal with a wide range of issues. They’ve teamed up with artist Anthony Burrill to offer an exclusive print for £75. It’s a very reasonable price for such an established artist, and the proceeds will go to a fantastic cause.

The galleries exhibiting at the event come from as far afield as Bangkok and New York, and there are also several regional UK galleries showing alongside established London names. It’s consequently a great opportunity to discover new names and artists who are well known abroad but who have yet to gather a large following over here. It’s the diversity of artwork on show that makes the Affordable Art Fair worth a visit.

Anna Souter
Photos: Silvia Sternardi

Affordable Art Fair is on in Battersea from 20^th until 23^rd October 2016, for further information visit here.