9/5/2012
The Other Art Fair
Ambika P3, London
Applauded for its exceptional foresight, the fair diverts from the formulaic approach of other fairs by encouraging emerging talent to sell their works directly to the public and allowing galleries to view some of the best, undiscovered talent working in Britain today in one location.
Following the success the of inaugural launch of The Other Art Fair in November 2011, this Spring a larger, second instalment of the fair will open at the Ambika P3 at University of Westminster. A truly unique artistic venture, The Other Art Fair will once again give audiences the opportunity to see the brightest emerging artists working in Britain in one location from 10 May – 13 May 2012. With the inclusion of more artists in a bigger venue, The Other Art Fair is unlike any other, providing a platform for artists that allow them to build their profile whilst also giving the opportunity to connect with collectors and gallerists directly.
Last year The Other Art Fair debuted as a brand new contemporary art fair at The Bargehouse on London’s South Bank. Over three and a half days, the fair received 4,300 visitors and 1,200 attended the private view. Collectors spent over £120,000 on art with thousands more spent after the fair. One artist single handily sold over £10,000 worth of art works while many were approached by prominent galleries for representation including Scream, Rove, Opera Gallery, Rook and Raven and Rosenfeld Porcini.
Applauded for its exceptional foresight, The Other Art Fair diverts from the formulaic approach of other fairs by encouraging emerging talent to sell their works directly to the public and allowing galleries to view some of the best, undiscovered talent working in Britain today in one location. As demonstrated by the first edition, The Other Art Fair can claim to be a source of artists who will go on to be represented by London’s top galleries, thus providing collectors with an early opportunity to purchase work which is likely to escalate in value.
At The Other Art Fair, viewers will be able to see work created by the winner of the Club Monaco Art Prize, Dan Hillier, who was chosen from the top exhibiting artists of the previous fair. He comments: “I think the way in which The Other Art Fair supports artists is spot on and makes a welcome change to the way a lot of organisations seem to go about treating artists generally.” This year the selection of the participating artists has been just as rigorous with a committee that has a diverse range of expertise in the art world:
The Committee:
Chris Levine’s progressive light work for Massive Attack, Grace Jones and his iconic holographic portraits of HM Queen Elizabeth II have positioned him as a leading figure working within the developing area of light as an art form. Using media such as laser, optics, LED and natural light, Levine aims to inspire a sense of wonder in viewers, taking them to unexplored sensory and spiritual territory in the process. The technology he uses is a means to an end; his work is about the beauty of light and the way we see and feel imagery. His work has graced galleries, fashion shows, band tours, and advertisements.
Francesca Gavin is a writer, curator and editor. She is Visual Arts Editor at Dazed & Confused and Twin Magazine, and is a Contributing Editor at AnOther. She has also written for publications including, Vogue, Wallpaper*, Elle, Guardian online and Timeout. The author of several books relating to the visual arts, including most recently 100 New Artists, which charts the upcoming generation of artists who will create the aesthetics of the next decade
Kenny Schachter is an art dealer, curator and writer currently living and working in London. A renowned art collector, he owns works by artists including Vito Acconci, William Pope, Zaha Hadid, the Campana Brothers, Richard Woods, Keith Tyson, Franz West, Chris Burden and many more. Director of Hoxton Square’s Rove Gallery amongst other projects, Schachter defies categorisation, but is nonetheless hailed as a true innovator in the art world and elsewhere.
Edward Lucie-Smith is an acclaimed art critic and historian who has published over sixty books about art. As well as being one of the most prolific authors on the subject, he was a BBC broadcaster of The Critics, later Critics’ Forum. Since then, his writing has appeared in numerous publications including the Times and the London Evening Standard where he was the art critic for two years. His work as a photographer is in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery, London; the Reina Sofia Museum, Madrid and the New Orleans Museum of Art amongst others.
The Other Art Fair will also offer a range of interactive activities including:
Joffe & Pye’s Other Other Art Fair will provide visitors with the chance to visit an art fair within an art fair. They will present the work of ten emerging artists and will award one of them an exclusive “Superstar YBA of the Next Generation” prize, also tempting visitors with champagne and goodie bags.
Tom’s Shoes will once again seek out the artistic talent amongst fair-goers, this time looking for a winning design for a pair of sunglasses. After the fair the winner will then be presented with the finished product.
Hey Picasso Junior, Get in the Interactive Kid Corner! will be a supervised area for children to experiment with art materials from paint to playdough, leaving parents to explore the fair at their leisure.
Under 100 has been brought about by the Other Art Fair to offer each and every visitor the opportunity to become an art collector. For under £100, pieces by emerging artists will be a key investment, with their reputations set to grow in coming years.
Curated Walks, led by Jotta, these walks will cover topics such as ‘Buying your First Piece’, and ‘Investing in Art’ to give new buyers an insight into art collecting. Taking place three times a day, visitors should be sure to book in advance.
The Other Art Fair Unplugged will provide live music each day at the fair from a variety of emerging musical talent. A highlight will be Sunday’s performance from folk sensation, the singer-songwriter Emily Barker.
FAD OFFICE will be presenting a fictional construct of a 1970’s magazine, FAD then, a fully functional office space will open at this year’s Other Art Fair (2012). FAD looks to the past to re-imagine the role of the publisher in the future, using the office as a testing site to research and critique ideas that are not openly discussed today. To comment on the shifting values in art both politically and socially. FAD asks; do we need to look back in order to move forward? And what will the future hold for art?
In a hope to bridge the gap between the online and physical incarnations of FAD, FAD Office will present a curated programme of presentations with invited artists and curators; a series of in-depth interviews all of which will be documented and available online. The responsive staging of the office will take place over the four days for the public to watch - welcoming critical and collaborative discourse and exchange.
More Info: http://theotherartfair.com
For more information about The Other Art Fair please contact Will Paget at Paget PR: will@pagetpr.com/+44 (0)20 7323 6963
Ambika P3
University of Westminster, 35
Marylebone Rd, London
Nearest Tube: Baker Street