Last month, we at View spent an exciting week exhibiting at the Affordable Art Fair in Battersea Park. As it was our first time here we were unsure of what to expect, although from the onset it was clear that this was an extremely well oiled operation.
Now a global brand, the Affordable Art Fair has seen over 1million visitors worldwide, which is certainly a testament to its founder Will Ramsay. It must be said that his continual presence at Battersea was extremely encouraging. Throughout the week he could be found giving speeches to the exhibitors, saying words of encouragement over the loud speaker and visiting each stand individually.
On arrival on Tuesday a frenzy of activity could have been witnessed as we, along with 119 other galleries, began the setting up process. As the hours ticked by we watched as more and more galleries tidied up and left whereas the team at View could be overheard debating (never arguing of course) over the stands layout. Seven hours and numerous cups of tea, coffee, diet coke, cake and sandwiches later, we finished. I can say with confidence that the added effort was certainly worth the time as throughout the week we received numerous compliments on our layout and art. Replicating our gallery style, we aimed for clarity and opted to display, on average, fewer paintings than most. Although arguably minimalist this gave each artist's work the space and attention it deserved and I was definitely pleased with our decision after Mr Ramsay himself complemented us on our "refreshing" presentation.
The art on display at the fair was enormously varied and diverse. With prices ranging from £40-£4000 and all types of medium on display, there really was something for everyone to enjoy. The fair had also organised additional free events for the visitors such as print making workshops, talks and tours. View's stand was next to the education space which proved to be great fun as throughout the week various school children were brought in to partake in a number of activities. Have to admit I too engaged in a little colouring in.
The Private View on Wednesday evening was a truly magical event. With a buzzy atmosphere and hundreds of visitors it paved the way for a great week. Adding to the merry mood were several extra features organised by the Fair which set it apart from its rivals. Intriguingly, Johnny Depp and Marilyn Munro lookalikes wandered around each stand causing, at times, a bit of a commotion as people were seen jumping from stand to stand trying to work out from the other exhibitors if it was the real Mr Depp (who interestingly was particularly taken with Cedric Laquieze's fairies.) There were also two glamorous assistants, dressed to the nines offering various sweets and treats to the visitors. Although these were rather extravagance, they completely transformed the evening into a really exceptional event.
Falling on the Mothers Day weekend, Saturday and Sunday saw a large number of families visiting. The children were truly in awe of Adele's magical creatures, whilst the parents seemed really taken with Hannah's nostalgic images of childhood memories. It is also worth noting that despite the current economic climate, the number of sales throughout the fair appeared to be consistent and steady. Certainly the very jolly packing team on hand at The British Shop were happy to have a rest at the end of each day. We were tremendously pleased with the reception all our artists received with each one selling and Hannah Lewis Davies and Cedric Laquieze both completely selling out.
As always, I took it upon myself to sample enough of the food on offer to provide a well rounded and decent review! Although, unfortunately, as the event took place across lent the chocolate goodies cannot be included in this survey. However, the coffee, cake and sandwiches were all delicious and were made even more special by the Glorious Foods' charming staff who were continuously cheery and helpful.
All in all we thoroughly enjoyed the experience and would like to continue our relationship with the Affordable Art Fair and hopefully expand overseas!
