Affordable Art Fair

• Elephant West curator Becca Pelly-Fry joins forces with Affordable Art Fair to curate an exhibition of large-scale installations at Battersea Spring (7 – 10 March 2019)
• The Fair will bring the eighteenth edition of the Spring Fair alive with the theme of colour
• James Burke, award-winning multi-disciplinary artist and Founder of Acrylicize, is announced as Battersea Spring Fair’s artist-in-residence  
• Workshops include bouquet making from Bloom & Wild, colour art therapy workshops from NSPCC, and illustrator and founder of The Mark Makers, Alice Nyong’s “Kaleidoscope of Colours” workshop
• Imogen Forte, chosen as the winner of the Bridgeman Studio Award by a panel of renowned judges including YBA Gavin Turk, has created a bespoke tote bag to be sold at the Battersea Spring Fair
• Tickets can be purchased here: affordableartfair.com
• Images of highlight works at the forthcoming fair can be downloaded from the media centre here: https://mediacentre.kallaway.com/affordable-art-fair/image-library

Becca Pelly-Fry, Head Curator at west London’s thriving arts and culture hub Elephant West, is curating a special exhibition of innovative, large-scale works by six up-and-coming artists. This collection will come together to form this year’s Platform Projects at Affordable Art Fair Battersea Spring (7 – 10 March 2019). A lifelong supporter of emerging artists, Pelly-Fry regularly exhibits Turner prize nominees alongside recent graduates, propelling unknown artists into the art world.

Becca Pelly-Fry describes her excitement to be working with the Affordable Art Fair: 
“It’s an honour to be invited to curate Platform Projects for the Affordable Art Fair which presents a great opportunity for me to put together a group of exciting artists who I have wanted to work with for some time. The five artists together will offer some new perspectives for the visiting audience to the fair, with elements of interactivity and lots of colour. We are busy planning for an exciting display of innovative, immersive and large-scale works, perfect for the more adventurous collector looking to find the next big thing.”

Also announced for Battersea Spring is artist-in-residence, James Burke. Off the back of his major 30 ft installation at Amazon’s London headquarters last December, the multi-disciplinary visual artist will be creating a number of bespoke artworks for the fair. 

Abstract pop-artist Robert Dunt from the Linda Blackstone Gallery, will immerse visitors entering the Fair in an installation of eight energetic paintings, where he turns alternative rock classics into an explosion of colour on the canvas.

A packed programme of talks, workshops and live art demonstrations will all explore the Spring Fair’s theme of colour. The fair will host over 100 galleries, exhibiting 1,000s of original artworks at affordable prices (from £100 up to £6,000). Programme highlights include:

• Colour yourself creative with colour themed workshops including Faber-Castell’s “Kaleidoscope of Colours” with illustrator Alice Nyong, bouquet making from florists Bloom & Wild, NSPCC’s colour art therapy workshops, and more to be announced.
  
  
• Learn how to inject colour into your home with a series of talks from British Institute of Interior Design experts looking at this season’s trends and the perfect colour to express your personality. 
  
  
• Enjoy art alfresco with prints and churros at the pop-up Print Village, a set of shipping containers dedicated to showcasing the art printmaking. This returns to Battersea Park this year, alongside street food from a selection of unique Feast It caterers.  
• Award-winning tote bags sold exclusively at Battersea Spring. Selected by Affordable Art Fair Founder Will Ramsay, YBA Gavin Turk and founder of the Bridgeman Art Library Victoria Bridgeman, emerging photographer Imogen Forte has been announced as winner of the Bridgeman Studio Award. Following her two-week award residency in Cuba, Imogen has created bespoke tote bags to be sold at Affordable Art Fair’s Battersea Spring Fair.
• Celebrate at the Thursday Late View. For those looking for the ultimate post-work release, catch a slice of midweek culture at the Thursday Late View. Visitors can delve into an innovative programme of unmissable workshops with complimentary drinks and a live DJ set from The Robotic Bears throughout the evening – open from 5.30pm until 9pm.
• Brighten up your home for a good cause. NSPCC is Battersea Spring’s official charity partner and will be hosting a booth of donated paintings, drawings and sculpture, with all proceeds from sales going to the charity.

Fair Founder Will Ramsay and Fair Director Lucinda Costello are available for interview ahead of the fair on topics including investing in art and choosing art for the home.

For high-res images, interview time with Will or Lucinda, and more information, please contact the Affordable Art Fair press team on aaf@kallaway.com 

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Notes to Editors

Fair Information

7 – 10 March, 2019
Battersea Evolution, Battersea Park, Queenstown Road, SW11 4NJ

 

Private View

Wednesday 6 March 2019: 17.30 - 21.30
RSVP: aaf@kallaway.com

Thursday 7 March 2019: 11.00 – 17.30
Late View: Thursday 7 March 2019: 17.30 – 21.00
Friday 8 March 2019: 11.00 - 19.00
Saturday 9 March 2019: 11.00 - 18.00
Sunday 10 March 2019: 11.00 - 18.00

For more information, or to buy tickets, please visit the website here: https://affordableartfair.com/fairs/battersea-spring

About Affordable Art Fair

The Affordable Art Fair has revolutionised and democratised the art market with its fun and accessible approach, bringing art under £6,000 to its three UK locations: Battersea Park, Hampstead Heath, and Bristol, as well as an online shop. Every fair offers something different, with a diverse range of local, national and international galleries showcasing art in an array of styles. Pieces by household names sit alongside the latest emerging talent. The concept has become a global phenomenon with 13 fairs in 10 cities across several continents.