The Affordable Art Fair is an international contemporary art fair, designed as an alternative to the traditional gallery scene. With a price ceiling of £5,000, it aims to make art accessible for all. For most of us, this can be still out of reach, but why not just visit it as a gallery? Special thanks to The Casual Artist who kindly gifted me two tickets! My talented friend Agat Lennox Fic and I attended with pleasure.

The AAF was first launched in London’s Battersea Park in 1999, which is where its spring 2015 edition was held last week. This year, over 110 galleries from the UK and all around the world offered artworks from over 1,100 artists. Here are some I liked most.

 

Displayed right opposite the entrance, Rodrigo Branco’s Melon was my first favourite. It’s one of his many paintings with the watermelon motive. I also spent quite a while admiring colourful, geometrical compositions by Mengyao Guo.

Rodrigo Branco – Melon

Mengyao Guo – City Plan Iceland 13

 

I’m a fan of urban architecture, and have a soft spot for city skylines and skyscrapers. Tall, grey, brutalist blocks of flats are so fascinating to look at… Aren’t they?? 😊 The blue-tinged paintings of monumental buildings, reproduced below, immediately grabbed my attention. It’s a series called Constructed by a London-based painter Luke M. Walker.

Luke M. Walker – Constructed

 

Another painting that caught my eye was David Wheeler’s Across the River. I didn’t manage to take a decent picture of it, though. There were just too many people swarming around it. By the time I came back to have another try, the painting was already sold and gone! Yes, it was that good. Try to Google it, just note that there are more works by Wheeler with that title.

I was stunned by the works of Krysia D. Michna-Nowak the moment I laid my eyes on The Russian Dancer, pictured below. There is something intriguing in the characters she paints. I learned from her biography that Krysia and I share the same background (she was born to Polish parents in the UK). Her art draws influences from the “Polish culture, fairy tales, the war and the ‘melancholic Slavonic soul’ ”, the bio says. “There is a strong feeling of isolation in her works”.

Krysia D. Michna-Nowak – The Russian Dancer

 

You’ll find even more isolation in the works from Mark Edwards’ The White Wood series. Wearing long black coats and bowler hats, the enigmatic characters are mostly pictured standing still, aimlessly… As if they’re trapped in the forests that they’re walking around. Empty snowy fields only intensify the omnipresent feeling of alienation. Such a fascinating collection!

Mark Edwards – Derek Arrives

 

Worth highlighting are also Mikael Kihlman’s sombre acrylics and grotesque works of Charlie Roberts. And Andrew McNeile Jones’ thoughts-provoking series. Quite in contrast to the idyll of Luce Geas’ Provence and Anthea Craigmyle’s Picnic in Chiswick Park, which also very much appealed to me.

What else stood out? Anna Allworthy’s Morocco Study II, Àlex Prunés’ Little Venice, and Jon Barker’s Café de la Paix. I also liked the cheekiness of Noma Bar’s Full Bodied 2.

Àlex Prunés – Little Venice

Anna Allworthy – Morocco Study II

 

Even though sculptures and installations don’t fascinate me as much as paintings, the AAF offered some that caught my eye, such as Neon Coat Hangers by Banana Signs and Guy Routledge’s ceramics. I also liked figures of kissing couples with animal heads, but unfortunately didn’t get to note the name of the author.

Please bear in mind that these are my personal opinions. You may have noticed that I’m drawn mainly towards colourful, dynamic works, sometimes with a surreal feel. But the AAF offers a really wide variety of styles and mediums.

Having never been to the Affordable Art Fair, I’ll have it on my radar from now on. The autumn edition is on later this year, so make sure you check it out!

Banana Signs – Neon Coat Hangers

Guy Routledge – Large Face Plate