Review: London Art Fair 2011

The London Art fair opened with a bang last night as the Proseco flowed and artists and art enthusiasts alike mingled. The fair has been well managed for over 20 years and director Jonathan Burton has blended a successful mix of Modern British, peppered with cutting edge contemporary works and curated exhibitions in the Art Projects section. The newish addition to the fair, Photo50, puts fine art photography in it's own designated section. The artists including Scarlett Hooft Graafland,David Spero,and Bill Armstrong who have all presented a good selection of works. It is also worth noting that The ICA and Whitechapel galleries have brought their prints by established and emerging artists to the fair. They range in price from £150- £1000 and are popular with young collectors. Of note WW (Wilson & Williams) Gallery (London) presents an installation of an 'Art Supermarket' complete with  checkout and scanner. Last nights auction featured Christie's on the podium, in aid of the fair's official charity partner for 2011," Maggie’s"  The Art of Hope, a collection of work donated by leading contemporary artists including Sam Taylor-Wood, Maggi Hambling, Yoko Ono, Peter Blake and Adam Dant, which reflects their approach to art and well-being. Founded in 1996, Maggie’s was conceived by Maggie Keswick Jencks who, through her own cancer journey, identified the need for a space where people affected by cancer could be empowered to help themselves with the many non-medical challenges associated with the disease. Maggie lost her battle with cancer in 1995 but her vision lives on in ten Maggie's Centres now open throughout the country.This was an interesting fair. With something for all levels of collector's taste, style and budget.