Now celebrating its 29th year, the London Art Fair returns in January 2017, showcasing a broad range of international contemporary art and photography at London’s Business Design Centre. Alongside special exhibitions from ‘Art Projects’, ‘Photo50’ and other large-scale installations, solo shows and thematic group displays, the London Art Fair is presenting an extensive programme of events. A selection of artist talks, guided tours and panel discussions will allow for a more in-depth exploration of the work on show.
Gresham Tapiwa Nyaude: ‘Wrong Conversation Part 3’, 2016 // Courtesy of the Artist and First Floor Gallery Harare
Curated by Miguel Amado, ‘Dialogues’ will feature as the fair’s ‘Art Projects’ special exhibition. A majority of the exhibiting artists hail from countries outside of the UK, represented by galleries including First Floor Gallery Harare of Zimbabwe, Kalfayan Gallery of Greece and Carlos Carvalho Arte Contemporânea from Portugal. Amado explains that the exhibition “reflects the challenging conditions in which one lives today, attempting to grasp these recent developments in society and culture.” With this in mind, it is a thoughtful touch to have the booths constructed utilising an open plan layout, avoiding any sense of obstruction created by walls or divisions. This reiterates the importance of freedom in cross-cultural communication and the potential of art as a platform to enable and enhance it. The De’Longhi Art Projects Artist Award will also be presented to a chosen artist in celebration of their practice and work displayed at the fair.
Siân Davey, from the series ‘Martha’, 2016 // Copyright Siân Davey
London Art Fair’s annual exhibition of contemporary photography ‘Photo50’ welcomes the curation of Photomonitor founding editor Christiane Monarchi for their 2017 instalment. She presents the exhibition ‘Gravitas’ as a meditation on journeys through adolescence, with reference to the ancient Roman virtues of depth of character and a purposeful life. Photographers including Siân Davey, Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert and Yvette Monahan provide tender insights into lives of those coming of age. On January 18th, the fair will be having a ‘Photography Focus Day’ with five special talks and tours exploring contemporary photographic practice.
David Watkins: ‘Interplanetary Trajectory’, 2014 // Courtesy of the Artist and Joanna Bryant & Julian Page
London Art Fair will be hosting a ‘Thursday Late’ on January 19th, accommodating for those who work throughout the day and enjoy the idea of a week-night art party. This ‘after hours’ opening will feature tours led by Sotheby’s Institute of Art and complimentary drinks provided by Peroni Nastro Azzurro.
Tickets for all admissions and events can be purchased here. Until December 23rd, enter the code ARTLINK at the checkout for 30% off Day Tickets for just £10.50 (plus booking fees).
London Art Fair Info
BUSINESS DESIGN MUSEUM
Event: Jan. 18–22, 2017
Full program: londonartfair.co.uk/whats-on
52 Upper Street, London, N1 0QH, click here for map
