Fair
Art London 2009 - Royal Hospital Chelsea
This year we are delighted to welcome new participants from the US, Hong Kong and Ireland, as well as returning exhibitors from as far afield as Argentina and Australia.
Since its foundation in 1999, Art London has endeavoured to marry “serious” art with a welcoming and friendly approach- not a widespread formula in the art world! On display this year are works by key Modern British and twentieth century artists, including Elisabeth Frink, Paul Nash, John Piper, Edward Seago and Graham Sutherland.
The fair has always had a cosmopolitan flavor, and this year is no exception. Art from China, India, Japan and Vietnam sits alongside an especially strong contingent of Aboriginal art. We have always encouraged exhibitors to take a risk and mount “solo” shows, as they would in a gallery environment. This year at least five of our galleries have opted for straight solo shows (Albemarle Gallery, The Art Movement, Blue Leaf Gallery, Lisa Sharpe Contemporary Art and Richard Goodall Gallery) while a greater number has chosen to mount two-person or “themed” exhibitions. One of the advantages of this focus is that visitors to Art London are not subjected to the overwhelming sensory bombardment that can be a feature of other art events.
Once again Barratt Homes is generously sponsoring the fair. Our innovative partnership is an extension of the company’s vigorous commitment to providing art and design both in its developments and within the local communities in which it operates.
Our partnership with Barratt enables us to provide some of the features that give Art London its distinctive character. One of these is our educational Special Exhibition, this year dedicated to Frederic, Lord Leighton. We are hugely grateful to the council leadership of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea for consenting to this fascinating loan exhibition from the Leighton House museum.
Another charming characteristic of Art London is the outdoor Sculpture Garden, with monumental works set against the bucolic backdrop of the Royal Hospital grounds. This year’s is devoted to a small selection of sculptors represented by participating galleries: Marzia Colonna, Bruce Denny, Philip Jackson, Gill Parker and Shan Shan Sheng.
We do hope that you derive as much pleasure from visiting the fair as we did in bringing it all together.
