The Affordable Art Fair | Exhibition review

by Anna Davies

I searched high and low – wandering down aisles of traditional-style oil paintings, ceramic sculptures and black and white photographs of aging rock stars but found the Affordable Art Fair (AAF) to be rather unaffordable.

AAF promises to deliver a range of works priced between £50 and £3,000. Most, however, lurk around the £700 mark.

Nevertheless, it was thoroughly enjoyable to peruse the up-and-coming and firmly established talent on display, even though my bright yellow Brick Lane pumps and geeky red rucksack were more than slightly conspicuous among the designer-clad crowd.

I liked Freya Cumming’s screen prints featuring miniature houses, quaint scenes with flowers, birds and hot air balloons. ‘The Launderette’ was a delicate framed silk screen adorned with silver leaf.

Paul Bower, the witty wordsmith, showed a collection of his illustrations incorporating quirky quotes, while Jane Perkins’ portraits — made from recycled objects such as buttons, bottle tops, plastic insects and beads — created a colourful display.

Anna Gillespie’s sculpture also caught my eye, the figure of a woman sculpted from white plaster with streams of plaster rushing sideways from her body to mimic a visible gust of wind.

As an exhibition the AAF is worth a visit. Situated in Battersea Park, a 15-minute walk from Battersea Park overground station — past the ponds and plants, it makes for a pleasant day out.

But as a shop, I rather felt as one might if walking into Harrods in a tracksuit. This is an ‘affordable’ art fair for an elitist art crowd.

 

The Affordable Art Fair is open until March 14

London, Battersea Park

Thursday & Friday: £10 in advance £12 on the door

Concessions:            £8                     £12

Saturday & Sunday: £12 in advance £15 on the door

Concessions:             £10                    £13

See here for more information