Affordable Art Fair - Critics’ Choice
Buying an original work of art doesn’t have to be a daunting or expensive process, and since 1999 the Affordable Art Fair has been proving that statement to be true. I couldn’t have gotten started as an art collector without it and I’ve returned frequently, acquiring a dozen works at AAFs over the years.
To demonstrate that there’s a wide range of great art that a large number of people can afford, London Art Roundup has gathered a panel of art critics, podcasters and writers to select what they consider to be the “Best Booth for Works under £1,000”.
Whether you’re an experienced collector with a specific style in mind or an art lover looking to make your first purchase, the list below (sorted by booth code) is our recommendation for the best and most affordable places to start your search.
Brief bios for each of the panelists are at the end.
A3 - Degree Art
Selected by Tabish - @londonartcritic
Ottelien Huckin uses the historical technique of japanning to create beautiful black and gold works, with each vase featuring an outline of a woman and named after a woman who has been important to the artist - they are stunning pieces. Facing off with her works are the photographs of hand dryers in toilets by Samuel Ryde - these dryers are much maligned for being ineffective at their job, often covered in graffiti and stickers and most likely on their way out to be replaced by more effective models. To immortalise these items as art is a cheeky subversion.
D4 - Kingsford Gallery
Selected by Doug - @douggillen
In thinking of the entry points into becoming a collector, new nomadic gallery Kingsford took the win for me.
Galleries play a vital role in the cultural ecosystem of the country and those nurturing this concept at a local level should be championed at any and every opportunity.
Primarily showing artists from Thanet, Kingsford’s booth displayed a wide variety of mediums, from reclaimed fabrics, textured quilts to repurposed wooden sculptures. The vision felt bold and exciting whilst being approachable.
The selection hit multiple price points, with plenty on offer for new collectors and Gallery Director, Ros, felt like a solid pair of hands for anyone looking to start this journey.
D7 - Hanga Ten - Contemporary Japanese Prints
Selected by Nigel - @nigelip
Frequently overshadowed by its ukiyo-e legacy, it’s easy to forget Japanese printmaking’s stylistic and technical advances throughout the modern age. Hanga Ten’s range of contemporary Japanese prints is amazing for challenging those dated assumptions, such as their textured works by Daniel Kelly hanging front and centre. However, the real gems can often be found in the browsers off to the side. While most people find it intimidating, this print world ritual is how I find works that many visitors don’t even know existed. It’s a fun, personal journey that occasionally brings up little gilt treasures like Hajime Namiki’s woodblock prints.
D10 - The Art9
Selected by Darren - @LondonArtRoundup
The jet black charcoal powder abstracts stood out like a Goth at the beach thanks to their gritty textures punctured by mysterious gold leaf symbols that look like runes. The symbols aren’t Korean but the artists are, which explains why all the works in the booth appear both foreign and familiar. Contemporary Korean art blends, borrows and samples many disparate styles that shouldn’t seamlessly co-exist as effectively as they do. There’s paper college paintings, Raku ceramic cats, animation style characters and “Colourful Town” drawings that remind me of English seaside villages. Can’t decide? You’re in luck. For £1,000 you could walk away with two or three from this incredibly well priced booth.
E10 - North London Printmakers
Selected by Sophie - @professional_art_bullshitter
Funky prints under £100? Glow-in-the-dark mushrooms? Hidden swearwords? Artworks the size of a baby potato? Ironic text art? Little creatures of unknown origin goggling for some reason? What's not to love?
F6 - Capital Culture Gallery
Selected by Veronica - @theactivistcurator
I found the vibrancy of the fair reflected in some of the works. There was a range of big, colourful paintings next to small, dark sculptures—a juxtaposition that I like—but what caught my eye the most was the stunning selection of black and white photography. A selected body of work that focuses on the subject, vibrant and alive portraits of people that show proximity with the viewer, making their presence right there, looking at you directly. It establishes diversity, a connection through cultural identities, which is very much in line with what the gallery represents.
G3 - Lara Bowen Contemporary
Selected by Jo - @josarthistory
Playful, colourful, and bold is how I would describe the artworks showcased at Lara Bowen Contemporary found on stand G3. With a vast array of mediums, textures and scales, the stand is curated in a way that still gives each piece enough room to breathe - no mean feat when working to the confines of three walls. While the comical textile works of Bob and Eve will be sure to bring a smile to your face, for me, the best works on the stand belonged to mixed media artist Rebecca Tucker. Prices start from £350.
G9 - Gallery Millcreek
Selected by Georgina - @art_satsuma
I stalked the glittery halls of the AAF like a citrus-fruit-based-art-critic possessed, looking for works that spoke to me, costing less than £1000.
There were several contenders, mostly print editions, but I’m a smell-of-the-paint sort of gal, and when I saw these naively expressive works, singing with colour and texture by South Korean, early-career artist Minkyun Cho (@artist_eric_cho), and the £600 price tag, I was sold!
There’s plenty of work by other up-and-coming artists hovering around a similar price tag, as well as some beauties a fair bit more, on this booth of delights, by Gallery Millcreek, all with an energy and vibrancy that I didn’t find anywhere else at the fair. In fact, I think it’s time to book the Satsuma family flights to South Korea ASAP for new artistic horizons!
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Also selected by Henry - @500_review
Gallery Millcreek stood out amongst the booths at the Affordable Art Fair for the memorableness of the work and its overall coherence. Under their de-skilled exterior, the childlike abstract paintings by Minkyun Cho exhibited great sensitivity towards light and shade and an understated confidence with the medium. They led on to Hyeyoung Kim's mother-of-pearl waterfalls threaded into forest backgrounds, which were painted in outline in a single local colour – gentle works that could easily have been overlooked, but which softly glowed and complemented their louder neighbours.
Plan your visit
‘Affordable Art Fair’ runs from 06 - 10 March
Tickets from £14. Discounts/concessions available.
Visit affordableartfair.com and follow @affordableartfairuk on Instagram for more info and to buy tickets.
Venue: Battersea Evolution, Battersea Park, Queenstown Road, London SW11 4NJ
The Critics Panel
London Art Roundup is proud to partner with and support the following art lovers who generously donated their time to this project:
Doug - @douggillen — Doug Gillen is a videographer and podcaster specialising in emerging art. He runs the Radio Juxtapoz podcast and produces art related video content through his project Fifth Wall TV.
Georgina - @art_satsuma — Georgina shares honest experiences and tips for family art adventures, whether romping through sculpture parks or taking on the Venice Biennale, in a bid to prove that art is for everyone and most importantly that it’s fun!
Henry - @500_review — 500 Review is a blog featuring regular 500-word reviews of art exhibitions, mostly in London. It aims to provide a critical dimension for smaller shows that might otherwise escape the notice of the press. It is written by Henry Tudor Pole, a writer and art historian.
Jo - @josarthistory — Jo McLaughlin is an art historian, curator and writer based in London. She is the Senior Curator for Acrylicize and hosts the global iTunes top 40 podcast Jo's Art History Podcast. linktr.ee/josarthistory
Nigel - @nigelip — Nigel Ip is a freelance critic and art historian. His reviews have featured in Print Quarterly, Trois Crayons, ars longa, and Museum Bookstore. nigelip.com
Sophie - @professional_art_bullshitter — Sophie Nowakowska is a freelance curator, art critic, and mentor. She frequently writes about contemporary art, focusing especially on examining and critiquing the culture of art exhibitions.
Tabish - @londonartcritic — Tabish believes passionately in making art accessible for everyone. He's the art critic for Londonist and writes for Culture Whisper, FAD and others. He's a trustee of City & Guilds London Art School, Discerning Eye and ArtCan.
Veronica - @theactivistcurator — Veronica is an independent curator and museologist. She works directly with artists, local communities, and art organisations, using social activism to improve ethical practices in the visual arts.
…and of course, me!
Darren - @LondonArtRoundup — Has been collecting art for 20 years. Now an independent critic, he sees as many shows as he can, but only writes about the good ones. This is his site.
One more note:
Many thanks to the Affordable Art Fair team for their support, and creating the co-branded images used for our social posts and located physically on site at the fair.
Look for this sticker to find our selected booths!
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