Affordable Art Fair has revealed a first look at the 2024 Autumn edition which will take over Battersea Park from 16th-20th October, marking 25 years since the first Affordable Art Fair in 1999.
The landmark anniversary edition will celebrate the best in contemporary art under £7,500, bringing over 100 leading galleries together from across the world at its founding location of Battersea Park. Thousands of artworks will be on show from living artists, both household names and rising stars – as well as exciting new programming to celebrate 25 years of Affordable Art Fair. This includes a bespoke cocktail on offer at Art After Dark Lates, and a striking new installation by Helen Brough – which will be revealed at the Private View on Wednesday. A specially commissioned 25th anniversary print by Nadia Attura will also be available for purchase.
Visitors can also expect returning favourites Family Morning on Saturday and Sunday and the Recent Graduates Exhibition throughout the art fair, showcasing the best emerging talent with an exciting Class of 2024 artist line up. Affordable Art Fair will also celebrate Black History Month with a special exhibition displaying the best of contemporary black talent.
Affordable Art Fair has also just released report titled ‘The Fair Advantage’, based on research that confirms the clear, on-going demand for art fairs due to their positive impact on small-to-medium sized gallery businesses and the art market.
The research reveals that 88% of galleries surveyed identify art fairs within their top five channels for driving business, and 85% small-to-medium galleries believe that art fairs are essential to their business.
Anniversary
Will Ramsay founded Affordable Art Fair in 1999, launching the first fair in Battersea Park. The Autumn edition celebrates exactly 25 years of democratising the art world, from 1999 – 2024, and to mark this special event, the fair will be playing host to a range of anniversary activity. This includes a bespoke cocktail on offer at its Art After Dark Lates as well as a timeline display delving into the history of the fair, from 1999 to the present, with more to be announced.
The fair has also commissioned a limited edition 25th anniversary print from bestselling artist Nadia Attura, which pays homage to Affordable Art Fair’s beginnings in Battersea Park. This stunning print features a range of plant species that can be found in Battersea Park’s botanical gardens, alongside the Scottish thistle, a nod to the Fair’s founder and CEO Will Ramsay. The artwork’s colours are also symbolic: the fair’s signature pink, touches of celebratory metallic silver and a deep blue – representing inspiration. The print is a limited edition of 200, priced at £150. It will be available to buy at Battersea Autumn (16 – 20 October) or online here, via Will’s Art Warehouse.
In fitting style for the 25th anniversary, Nadia Attura will also front the fair’s marketing campaign. Nadia is a bestselling artist represented by Founder and CEO Will Ramsay’s very own gallery Will’s Art Warehouse. Since 1996, the gallery has championed both emerging and established British artists working across contemporary genres, the very ethos behind Affordable Art Fair’s founding mission. Nadia’s landscapes capture both the real and the surreal, with vintage, pastel tones adding an illustrative approach and imbuing her works with a dreamlike feel that’s further enhanced by her meticulous collaging.
Installation
Highlights from Hugo Barclay’s Director’s Cut include –
· Alejandra Aristizabal (Wolf & Nomad)
Colombian artist Alejandra Aristizabal work uses the Fique plant – Furcraea Andina – a species native of south American, and one of the Colombian national fibres. Alejandra’s work directly supports the indigenous communities within this region who assist her in harvesting and drying this unique natural fibre.
· Ronald Mugabe (Galerie Duret)
His work explores social struggles, justice, community and belonging, inviting us to confront hard truths. From spending most of his childhood as a homeless orphan in the slums of Kampala to being offered a scholarship to join Uganda’s most prestigious art school, his incredible story further brings consciousness to such realities.
· Philip Toledano (Narrative Projects)
Phillip will showcase his realistic-looking dystopian visions of new worlds, using AI to reimagine dystopian scenes in his latest body of work titled ‘Another America’.
A not-to-be-missed attraction for visitors this Autumn will be a stunning, newly commissioned installation by widely celebrated artist Helen Brough, represented by Art Movement – one of the fair’s founding galleries which has been exhibiting since the very first event in 1999.
Helen’s work spans many media – including oil, watercolour and glass – but her large-scale installation for Affordable Art Fair will take the form of a striking laser-cut, layered Dahlia with powerful symbolism, representing gratitude and appreciation. Affordable Art Fair has chosen the installation as an ode to its exhibiting galleries’ loyalty and support over the past 25 years, and its growing community of artists and gallerists who are so integral to the success of Affordable Art Fair.
The installation will be exclusively revealed at the ticketed private view on Wednesday 16th October.
Community
Paintings in Hospitals partners with Affordable Art Fair for its 25th anniversary edition.
As a leading charity, Paintings in Hospitals collaborates with patients and carers to transform clinical environments using art from their extensive collection, featuring renowned artists such as Anita Klein, Yinka Shonibare, Nayanaa Kanodia, and Ian Davenport. The charity also works in community settings, including public libraries, to break down barriers, collaborate with refugees, those who have English as a second language, the socially isolated and those at the end-of-life stage, helping them to reminisce, story tell and use their artworks as a distraction, while encouraging artistic endeavours.
At the autumn fair, Paintings in Hospitals will showcase a curated selection of artworks from their collection and host an exciting Silent Auction at the Private View. This event coincides with Paintings in Hospitals celebrating a significant milestone in 2024, reflecting on 65 years of positive change through art.
Families
Affordable Art Fair’s popular Family Morning is back, this year running on both Saturday and Sunday from 10am-12pm, with activity packs, face-painting, a Kids Creative Corner, and more! Children aged 7 – 12 can also enjoy The Little Grand Tour – a fun-packed tour of the fair exploring popular art movements and techniques. The Tour starts at 11am on Saturday and Sunday, £20 per child, and must be booked in advance via the ticket shop here.
Lates
Art After Dark Lates will also return this Autumn for evening visitors, with a special anniversary twist. Alongside DJs, complimentary drinks and the chance to try Affordable Art Fair’s unique 25th anniversary cocktail, Ink & Drink workshops will also be on offer – perfect for friends looking for a new activity to try or couples after a more creative date night.
Venue: Battersea Evolution, Battersea Park, Queenstown Road, London SW11 4NJ, UK
Private View: Wednesday 16 October
Public Opening Times: Thursday 17 October – Sunday 20 October
Age Guidelines: All Evening Events 18+ only. At other times, u16s must be accompanied by an adult.
See also: Wales International Festival of Photography Launched
