London Art Fair 2013 celebrates its 25th edition.

London Art Fair 2013 celebrates its 25th edition.

David Franchi – Thursday, 24th January 2013

“visitor numbers remained high throughout the Fair”

Andrew Salgado, If One Man’s Joy is Another Man’s Sadness, 2012 © Beers Lambert Contemporary, co. London Art Fair

London Art Fair has celebrated its 25th anniversary, at the Business and Design Centre of Islington, with its largest ever fair.

At the London Art Fair 2013 a total of 100 UK and international galleries took part to the Main Fair, with a further 30 younger galleries exhibiting new work in the acclaimed Art Projects section. It was the seventh year for Photo50 for contemporary photography.

At the Main Fair, galleries from across the UK and overseas exhibited work by artists covering the period from the early 20th Century to the present day. Museum quality Modern British art were presented alongside contemporary work from the best leading and emerging artists.

Established eighth year ago, Art Projects is one of the most exciting sections of the Fair. Art Projects captures a snapshot of the current practice and concerns of contemporary artists. Art Projects is a curated showcase of the freshest contemporary art from across the globe and featured large-scale installations, solo shows and group displays from selected galleries. The Art Projects Film Programme hosted a selection of experimental film and video work.

Pryle Behrman, Art Projects curator commented: “The works in Art Projects are characterised by a gentle questioning that looks at gradually-unravelling developments from a critical new angle, one that is never cynical or simplistic. These are artists who find questions where perhaps none were seen before, and never have the hubris to suggest that the answers are easy to find.

Photo50 is a showcase for contemporary photography that highlights the richness and diversity of photography today. Photo50 is an exhibition of contemporary photography and presented fifty works – many for sale – this year curated by Nick Hackworth, Director of Paradise Row. Hackworth’s exhibition, titled A Cyclical Poem, investigated the nature of historical change through 50 images by eight photojournalists and documentary photographers working between 1970 and the present day: Ian Beesley, Dorothy Bohm, Brian Griffin, Paul Hill, Sirkka-Liisa Konttinen, Marketa Luskacova and Chris Steele-Perkins and Homer Sykes.

Nick Hackworth, curator of Photo50, comments: “A Cyclical Poem’ is an elliptical meditation on the idea of historical change,

Patrick Heron, Three Blues in Red, 1962 ©
Agnew’s Gallery, co. London Art Fair

instances separated by eras, of congruence and difference; it considers, through the photographic image, what has changed and what has remained the same. Many of the images included date from well before the digital era. From a certain perspective this might render the show perverse and out of date, for digital culture has fundamentally altered the relationship between image, time and memory. If this is so, then this exhibition becomes, as a whole, a picture of a culture of scarcity and selectivity, one that has already dissolved in the vastness of the ever growing digital data stream that appears to structure contemporary experience.”

Those attending London Art Fair 2013 could visit The Macallan’s Masterclass lounge for an introduction to The Macallan and to view the third edition of their The Masters of Photography Series, featuring Annie Leibovitz photographs of Kevin McKidd, whilst enjoying a dram of The Macallan Gold, the newest edition to The Macallan’s portfolio.

London Art Fair 2013 reported strong sales at its 25th edition, as dealers praised the number and breadth of collectors attending. The Fair once again demonstrated its importance to collectors, with attendance figures for the VIP collector’s preview up 43% on last year.

Despite heavy snow across the country, visitor numbers remained high throughout the Fair, with a total of 23,521 people visiting over the six days.

Sir Peter Blake, London- River Thames- Regatta, 2012 © Paul Stolper Gallery, co. London Art Fair

Jonathan Burton, director of London Art Fair commented: “For our 25th edition it was important that London Art Fair 2013 was a statement of intent for the future. The Fair is a welcoming environment for buyers wanting to pick up the very finest in Modern British work as well as cutting-edge contemporary practice.”

Sponsors of London Art Fair 2013 were The Macallan and The Macallan’s “The Masters of Photography”, Sophie Macpherson and Lund Humphries.

The Macallan was founded in 1824 in the heart of Speyside. It was one of the first distilleries in Scotland to be legally licensed. The Macallan support the “The Masters of Photography”. The Annie Leibovitz Edition is the third in the award winning The Macallan Masters of Photography series. The previous two editions were authored by Rankin and Albert Watson. These are unique limited edition collections.

Sophie Macpherson Ltd is a dedicated recruitment agency specialising in the international art world. Lund Humphries has been a leading publisher of illustrated art books for nearly 70 years, with a particular reputation in the field of Modern British Art.

London Art Fair 2013 was at the Business and Design Centre of Islington from 16th until 20th January 2013.