Spring Contemporary Art Fair To Challenge Frieze London Dominance

Art13 London

Art13 London, the city’s latest global contemporary art fair is launching a brand new event in Spring 2013. The fair bills itself as the first modern and contemporary art fair in London to showcase on an equal footing, galleries from all over the world, with a major presence from Asia, Africa, as well as Western Europe and the Americas. Doesn’t Frieze already do that?

Featuring over 100 galleries, Art13 London will for the first time, give everyone the opportunity to see the extraordinary quality and variety of art produced around the world – establishing a global art fair for a global city. London’s vibrant art scene, financial basis and central positioning have established the city as a first port of call for collectors and dealers from new territories such as Russia, Asia and the Middle East. Reflecting this, Art13 London is delighted to have received applications from across the world, asserting the Fair’s broad global reach and confirming the city’s status as one of the world’s leading contemporary art centers.

The first edition will take place at Olympia Grand Hall, London from 1-3 March 2013 (VIP Preview: 28 February 2013). The Fair has been founded by Art Fairs London Ltd, the organisers behind the ground-breaking ART HK: Hong Kong International Art Fair, of which Art Basel acquired a majority stake in 2011. Stephanie Dieckvoss will direct the fair, drawing on her experience as Fair Manager at Frieze Art Fair (2003-2006) and as Co-Director of ART HK: Hong Kong International Art Fair (2007- 2009) alongside Magnus Renfrew.

Art13 London is premiering London First; a curated section of the Fair featuring up to 15 young galleries under six years from across the globe. Through subsided stand rates, Art13 London will offer this geographically diverse range of young galleries the opportunity to exhibit at a fair in London for the first time. London First will be a significant focus within Art13 London, celebrating the Fair’s global ethos and its passionate commitment to showcasing young galleries to an international audience.

Leading curator and academic, Lisa Le Feuvre, Head of Sculpture Studies at the Henry Moore Institute in Leeds is Advisor to this unique section. Le Feuvre co-curated the touring exhibition ‘British Art Show 7: In the Day’s of the Comet’ with Tom Morton in 2010 (presented in London, Nottingham, Plymouth and Glasgow) and directed the contemporary art programme at the National Maritime Museum from 2005-2009. Lisa Le Feuvre commented ‘I am thrilled to be Advisor to this exciting initiative which recognises the importance of young galleries from London and abroad. As well as providing an opportunity for these emerging galleries to exhibit on a global stage, London First will offer visitors the chance to discover new talent from around the world.’

The Fair’s organisers have named the global Advisory Board, a group of distinguished collectors and curators who support the Fair’s mission to provide an exceptional opportunity in London for both seasoned and new collectors to encounter modern and contemporary art from the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa. Art13 London’s Advisory Board reflects the Fair’s positioning, bringing a unique dynamic to the capital’s art world.

Members of the Advisory Board for the inaugural Fair include Li Bing, leading collector and founder of the Beijing He Jing Yuan Art Museum and the exclusive Art Collectors Club. Also representing Asia and the Middle East will be Thomas Shao, collector and founder of the Modern Media Group who look after influential titles including Leap and Modern Weekly, Asia’s leading art & lifestyle magazines; Sunhee Kim, Director of the Daegu Art Museum, former Chief Curator of the Gwangju Art Museum and the Kwangju Biennale in Korea as well as former Senior Curator at Tokyo’s Mori Art Museum and Ramin Salsali, collector and founder of Salsali Private Museum in Dubai.

Further members include UK based Frank Cohen, an influential collector of international contemporary art and founder of the ‘Initial Access’ Foundation; Philip Dodd (Chair), broadcaster, Visiting Professor at the University of the Arts London, Director of the China Art Foundation and chair of Made in China; Dominique and Sylvain Levy, collectors and founders of the DSL Collection, which focuses primarily on Chinese Contemporary art, and Sydney Picasso, collector and former Adjunct Curator of the Musee d’Art et Histoire de Meudon, France.

The Selection Committee of the Fair brings together experts from a diverse range of institutions, in particular from public museums and organisations. Members include Sorcha Dallas, gallerist and curator based in Glasgow and founder of the Alasdair Gray Foundation; Emma Dexter, former Exhibitions Director at London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) and Senior Curator at Tate Modern, who is currently Director of Exhibitions at Timothy Taylor Gallery; Christopher Phillips, Curator at the International Center of Photography in New York and Jan Stuart, Keeper of the Department of Asia at the British Museum.

Stephanie Dieckvoss, Fair Director, Art13 London commented ‘We are extremely pleased to announce such a strong Advisory Board and Selection Committee. The Advisory Board brings together some of the world’s most high profile art collectors and curators, many of whom are looking to promote a truly global initiative in London. The international range of the members reflects the distinctive global nature of the Fair and its ambitions to welcome a stronger Asian, Middle Eastern and African presence to London’s art fair scene. Furthermore, we feel that the Selection Committee is particularly unique in that it features a range of influential figures from public institutions, demonstrating the Fair’s focus on quality’.

Finally, Art13 London has announce Positive View Foundation as the Fair’s philanthropic partner. Founded in 2011, Positive View Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation taking a unique philanthropic approach towards contemporary photography. Staging world-class events and exhibitions, the Foundation furthermore exists to provide photography grants to charities working with disadvantaged young people. Positive View Foundation’s patrons include Lady Helena Foster and Sir David Tang.

Andrew Page, Founder and CEO of Positive View Foundation commented ‘We’re delighted to confirm the Foundation’s philanthropic partnership with Art13 London. The new Fair meets the demand for a truly global art fair in London. As the aim of the Foundation is to ensure that the very best in international, contemporary photography is made available to a wide audience, we’re pleased and excited to have been offered this unique platform from which to communicate the Foundation’s mission at the first edition of the Fair’.

 

Dates: 1-3 March 2013
VIP Preview: 28 February 2013

Website: www.artfairslondon.com

Location

Olympia Grand Hall Hammersmith Road London W14 8UX

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