The Affordable Art Fair 2024: Accessible art that speaks of body positivity and nature

The Affordable Art Fair returns once again to Hampstead Heath, promising another weekend of contemporary treasures. This year also marks its 25^th anniversary, celebrated with an impressive line-up of over 100 exhibiting galleries from across the world spanning paintings, sculptures, photography and prints. The fair has also commissioned best-selling artist Nadia Attura for the occasion to create a limited-edition print. Characterised by vintage pastel hues reminiscent of the fair’s iconic pink, with a deep blue botanical landscape accented with metallic streaks, her print commemorates the gardens of Battersea Park, a nostalgic nod to the fair’s first ever home.

Embracing its mission to democratise art and challenge the exclusivity often associated with traditional art spaces, pieces range from as little as £50 up to £7,500, cultivating a friendly art-buying experience for visitors so that there is something for every budget and taste.

Stepping inside Belgian artist Jules Wittock’s immersive labyrinth installation Mindset at the fair’s entrance is non-negotiable. Intricately hand-drawn over many months with acrylic on canvas, they are real mazes with real solutions, and where the path to each solution forms a hidden word, it is hard not to find yourself lost in the mesmerising conundrums that is his art.

Landscapes fill the corridors, each capturing a deep connection to the natural world in its own unique way. From the abstract botanical interpretations of Jean-François Debongnie (Art Platinum Gallery) composed entirely of monochromatic grey tones, to Jo March’s (Marine House at Beer) whimsical depictions of the English countryside where undulating landscapes create literal layers of intrigue.

An abundance of artworks focusing on the female body imbue the space with a profound sense of physicality. For French abstract artist Catherine Monmarson (First Contemporary), all she paints is the body and different ways of interpreting it. Her skillful handling of colour in her loose sketches vividly captures bodies in mid-movement. Elsewhere, Sophie Hannah’s body positive figurative art (The Barker Gallery) – where the naked form is offset by precise splashes of gold and horizontal gold leaf lines – project a potent confidence to the world that reaffirms art’s capacity to inspire change.

Introducing a menacing quirkiness to the fair are pieces that explore and reimagine the animal kingdom. Clare Trenchard’s sculpture (Flying Colours Gallery) of a sleeping hare, newspaper in hand, blurs the lines between human and animal in delightful anthropomorphic fashion. Meanwhile, Kate Boxer’s large-scale wolf images (Columbia Road Gallery) offer a playful yet slightly ominous fairytale-esque charm. Even AI-generated art embraces the animal realm: both Kelly De Geer’s production of a reptile donning a corporate suit (Gutmans Gallery) and Jim Naughten’s surreal gibbon portrait (Rebecca Hossack Gallery) dislocate animals from their natural habitats, provoking contemplation on the growing disconnect between humanity and the natural world.

In addition to all this spectacular art on display, outdoor painting classes, cocktails, food trucks and sunny views from the Tree Top Terrace can be enjoyed. Navigating the Affordable Art Fair is a breeze from start to finish. Whether you’re a first-time collector or a seasoned buyer, every artwork is looking for a new home and is sure to find its visitor match.

Ruweyda Sheik-Ali
Photos: Piers Allardyce and Ruweyda Sheik-Ali 

The Affordable Art Fair is at Hampstead Heath from 8^th May until 12^th May 2019. For further information visit the exhibition’s website here.