Art London, the UK’s longest established international art fair for contemporary and modern art, returns to Chelsea this Autumn, and runs from Thursday 8th – Monday 12th October 2009, with a preview evening on Wednesday 7th October. The expansive venue is a 75,000 square foot marquee set in the grounds of The Royal Hospital, SW3.
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Art London showcases some of the world’s leading galleries, encompassing painting, sculpture, photography, works on paper, ceramics and glass. New exhibitors to the fair this year include the Connoisseur Art Gallery from Hong Kong and the Blue Leaf Gallery from Dublin.
This year’s sponsored charity is The Amber Foundation, www.amberweb.org, which exists to help homeless, unemployed young people to acquire the motivation, confidence and skills they need to gain employment and appropriate accommodation.
Barratt London is sponsoring this year’s Art London in what is an innovative and original partnership.
“Barratt is delighted to once again support Art London, reaffirming our commitment to high quality architecture, design and public art. Our business is about shaping the urban environment, creating new homes, community facilities and public spaces and we understand the huge contribution that art and culture can make. That’s why we are increasingly appointing artists, undertaking commissions, engaging with local community projects and collaborating with designers and architects to enhance our developments.”
Managing Director Alistair Baird, Barratt London Highlights for Art London 2009:
•• The Court Gallery is showing a selection of historic works including the renowned ‘The Café Royal’ by Adrian Allinson (1915) which has been described as one of the finest paintings executed during the war. It is a significant record of Bohemian life in London during the Edwardian age depicting famous faces including Old Sampson – who used to say that after his death his ghost would haunt the Café – the Hon. Evan Morgan, Horace de Vere Cole (famous for his elaborate practical jokes) and Iris Tree.
•• Whitfield Fine Art returns to Art London this year showing a selection of key historical works by Graham Sutherland and Thomas Nathaniel Davies. Sutherland’s ‘Purple Vine Pergola’ was painted when he spent the summer drinking and gambling with Francis Bacon in the South of France. Earlier this year, the National Museum of Wales acquired a significant Thomas Nathaniel Davies after his retrospective at Whitfield Fine Art.
•• Algernon Newton RA (1880 -1968) is featured in many public and private collections including the Tate Gallery. He is renowned for his use of a flawless traditional technique to depict modern subject matter. His works are exhibited by John Adams Fine Art which will also be showing key pieces by Othello Radou and Antony Williams.
•• This year, Art London’s Special Exhibition is dedicated to the Leighton House Museum, courtesy of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The museum is currently closed for refurbishment until April 2010 and during this period the collection has been on loan to a public institution in Munich, Germany. Frederic, Lord Leighton was one of the leading artists, of the Victorian Age, who re-invented ancient themes.
Kensington & Chelsea councillor Nick Paget-Brown, who is Cabinet member for Leisure, said: “It is good news that people can continue enjoying such great examples of a leading Victorian artist as Lord Leighton while our museum is closed. We are carrying out significant restoration work at Leighton House and it is gratifying that during this time Art London has asked to display some of the pictures that can usually be seen at Leighton House.”
Tickets may be purchased on the door
Prices: £12 for one, £18 for two (includes an illustrated catalogue)
Art London
The Royal Hospital
Chelsea, London SW3
www.artlondon.net
Nearest London Underground station – Sloane Square
Entrance – London Gate, Royal Hospital Road
Picture: Dress Installation 2009 by Keiko Sugiyama. 2009 – Fine Art Consultancy
