The Other Art Fair – Southbank at the Oxo Tower

The Other Art Fair

“Unique new Contemporary Art event”

David Franchi –  Wednesday, 30th November 2011

“The Other Art Fair” was an unique new Contemporary art event at The Bargehouse, near the Oxo Tower at the Southbank. At its first edition, it provided a special platform that allowed 100 specially chosen artists to showcase their work to collectors, curators and gallerists on their own terms.

“The Other Art Fair” was an opportunity to see and buy work directly from the brightest talents in the UK, thus allowing them to keep 100% of the profits, as they did not have to pay gallery commission. Artists on show were chosen between hundreds of applicants.

It seems that there is an emerging generation of young artists who at “The Other Art Fair” exhibited together with more established independent ones. The chosen artists are short of gallery representation. In these days of economic crisis are galleries important when art market is dominated by profit? It is a huge need to promote emerging artist or else in few years we will not be able to have a significant art environment. This blend of new and recognised artists gives clues for a new era in the British art market.

The fair comprises numerous artworks costing under £100. An interesting idea was the ‘Joffe and Pye’s 99p Shop’ where original paintings and handmade small objects could be bought for under £1, a sort of betting on the new top artist. A range of further activities were offered at “The Other Art Fair“. The ‘Robin Collective’s Secret Garden’, was an installation that recreated a full-scale secret garden, site for Cafe Du Pique-Nique, selling picnic basket lunches to visitors. At the ‘Tom’s Shoes – One for One Competition’, instead, visitors had the chance to win a pair of shoes, personalised with their own design in association with Tom’s. They were invited to draw on an origami paper shoe before the winning design is transferred onto the real article.

As artist Charming Baker commented: “The Other Art Fair is a wonderful door-opener for some major new talent.” His example of operating as an unknown but highly successful artist is a sign of the changes going on within the London art scene with artists and collectors looking to forge new connections for them.

The Committee of “The Other Art Fair” was composed of the celebrated contemporary British artist Charming Baker; Dr. Anthony Downey, Programme Director of the M.A. course in Contemporary Art at Sotheby’s Institute of Art; the well- known art journalist and opinion former Sophie Hastings; Godfrey Worsdale, Director of BALTIC and curator; and Graham Fink, President of the Design & Art Directors Association, Executive Creative Director at M&C Saatchi and most recently Chief Creative Officer at Ogilvy & Mather.

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Pavilion of Art and Design – PAD 2011 in London

Review of Pavilion of Art & Design

“Fifth edition of the PAD”
David Franchi – 20th October 2011

The Pavilion of Art & Design London 2011 closed with a great success. The fifth edition of the PAD, Pavilion of Art & Design, testifies increased massive sales and remarkable attendance of collector and visitors.

At the 2011 edition of the PAD 58 galleries from 11 countries presented the highest-quality works of Modern Painting, Photography, Tribal Art, Design and Decorative Arts from 1860 to today.

PAD is a well-established event because of the exhibitors excellence and the prominent location in Mayfair, London. This is the difference with the contemporaneously Frieze Art Fair which is more popular and differently located.

PAD is building a reputation that is attracting important new faces and increasing sales despite the economic climate. The two organiser, Patrick Perrin and Stephane Custot, commented: “We are delighted to see how PAD has turned into a successful, mature and inspiring international art event. PAD is more than a fair; it is an eclectic and sophisticated club gathering the finest art and design galleries. Our aim is to put together the most beautiful and exclusive works of art of the 20th Century. As organisers, we are flattered to see such an enthusiastic audience attending the event each year and also how positive PAD is welcomed in London. The fifth edition has been a real success; we are totally confident for the future of the fair.”

The PAD opened with a Private Preview attended by members of the high society. Later in the week, the fair was visited by renowned collectors including Christie’s owner François Pinault and fashion designer and filmmaker Tom Ford.

The Child’s Chair Project II, curated by Francis Sultana, was a tremendous success with 7 of the unique 11 chairs, with prices from £1,500, sold by the close of the fair. Designers such as Zaha Hadid, Amanda Levete, Peter Marigold, Fredrikson Stallard, Max Lamb and Mattia Bonetti were invited to customize Vitra’s child-size edition of the iconic Panton chair, with proceeds of over £25,000 going to the NSPCC’s Rebuilding Childhoods Appeal.

The Pavilion of Art & Design London is organised by the Societe d’Organisation Culturelle (SOC) which was founded to support quality in the arts in 1996 by fair directors Patrick Perrin and Stephane Custot, both renowned gallerists and art dealers. In 1997 they created one of the most appreciated cultural events in France, the Pavillon des Arts et du Design Paris, formerly known as the Pavillon des Antiquaires et des galeries d’art. Since 2007 the fair has taken new direction focusing on Art and Design from 1860 to today and now is called Pavilion of Art & Design Paris at its 16th edition. The Pavilion of Art & Design London, formerly known as Design Art London, was founded in 2007 during Frieze Week in the same spirit, dedicated to post-war and contemporary design and the decorative arts. In 2009 the fair was renamed and expanded to include Modern Art.

The announced Moët Hennessy-PAD London Prize this year did not take place for unclear difficulties occurred with the donation to the V&A Museum. Other sponsors were Zadig & Voltaire and 1stdibs.

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Frieze Art Fair 2011 in London

Review of Frieze Art Fair

“contemporary art in busy location”
David Franchi – Monday 18th October 2011

Frieze Art Fair 2011 is another success. So crowded that it is almost impossible to walk. The mass is overwhelming in the commissioned temporary structure located in Regent’s Park.

Frieze Art Fair has a different approach. It focuses only on contemporary art and living artists. It presents a curated programme of talks, artists’ commissions and film projects, many of which are interactive or performative and encourage visitors to engage with art and artists directly. It is at its ninth edition.

Frieze Art Fair is an unmissable occasion in London. Contemporary art and design are present in this excellent exhibition that brings together 173 galleries, around 1,000 artists for 33 countries from all over the world. The event is organised with the idea of showcasing new artists and, hopefully, selling their work.

For the last four years Frieze Art Fair have had over 60,000 visitors including those with an interest in the art world, such as curators, artists, collectors, gallerists and critics, as well as the general public. Some visit as first-time collectors of art whilst others view the fair more as an exhibition, enjoying the experience as a cultural day out.

Fashion is another aspect of the Frieze Art Fair. The blending of art and fashion is ongoing since years. At the fair there are many fashion designers together with artists and some brands sponsored the Frieze. It presents the world’s leading contemporary art galleries. The vitality of galleries from emerging territories such as Asia and South America is balanced by a strong European and American contingent.

Opened in the superb English Gardens of Regent’s Park is the Sculpture Park. Frieze Art Fair has installed this exhibition of sculpture which offers a rare occasion to see a noteworthy group of international works.

The Frame section of the fair, supported by COS, is dedicated to galleries under six-years old, showing solo.

Frieze Projects is a unique annually programme of artists’ commissions, curated for 2011 by Sarah McCrory and supported by the Emdash Foundation. For 2011 Frieze Projects includes a number of unique viewpoints throughout the fair. The winner of the Emdash Award 2011 is the video and performance artist Anahita Razmi.

Frieze Film is a programme of artist films screened to coincide with Frieze Art Fair. This year it was curated by Sarah McCrory and included five commissioned films screened in the auditorium at the fair and previewed in a new post-watershed Channel 4 arts slot.

An international line-up of highly respected artists, filmmakers, curators and cultural commentators have taken part in Frieze Talks 2011 a daily programme of keynote lectures, panel debates and discussions.

The Frieze Art Fair Stand Prize, sponsored by Champagne Pommery, has been awarded to Gavin Brown stand which articulated a long-term commitment to and understanding of the artists represented.

Outset / Frieze Art Fair Fund is organised and financed by Outset Contemporary Art Fund, a charitable foundation focused on supporting new art. This distinctive partnership helped Tate to buy important works for the national collection. It has the continued support of Le Meridien Hotels & Resorts. Frieze Art Fair is sponsored by Deutsche Bank.

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Pavilion of Art and Design 2010

The launching of the PAD 2010.

Saturday, 16th October 2010 – David Franchi

LONDON.  The PAD – Pavilion of Art & Design in London opens with a stunning 4th edition, from 13th to 17th October, in Berkley Square, Mayfair.

 Patrick Perrin and Stéphane Custot organise one of the most important fair of the world with 49 galleries and over 2,500 pieces covering Modern Art, Design, Decorative Arts, Photography and Tribal Art.

Some of the most famous galleries of all over the world are participating, coming from London, Milan, Geneva, Barcelona, Brussels, Zurich, Paris, Cologne and New York.

Only few years ago nothing similar was in London, Stéphane Custot explains: “I moved to London from Paris 5 years ago. We had the Pavillon des Art et Design in Paris for 15 years. When I arrived in London I discovered that there were no fairs of Modern Art and Design. Of course Frieze was there. At that time there was also Grosvenor and was a very good antique fair. And there were no fairs in between. So it was very easy for me to think about doing something in London for modern art and design. That’s why Patrick and I created PAD fair 5 years ago. The first 2 years was a design fair only with 20 exhibitors. Last year we enlarged, we have moved to Berkley Square and we included also Modern Art. And I think the combination between modern art and design it fits very well”.

Walking between the stands one can appreciate the atmosphere in a pavilion literally built on the gardens of Berkeley Square: “It’s a great location. It’s between Selby and Christies and it is near Bond Street and all the galleries and between places. So for me it cannot be a better spot. Because we have a lot of people, a lot of exhibitors who wants to join us, even though we could, we won’t enlarge the fair. Because we want to stay at Berkley Square. It’s so fantastic for us”.

The Moët Hennessy- PAD London Prize is a noteworthy moment of the fair every year, sponsoring the donation to the V&A Museum of a young artist piece of Design or Decorative Art. The winner is selected by a prestigious judging panel, chaired by architect and designer Nigel Coates, and comprising of prominent figures of art, fashion, culture, communication and business.

For the year 2010 the winner is the absolutely unmissable ”Drift – Fragile Future Concrete Chandelier” by the Dutch duo Lonneke Gordijn & Ralph Nauta, made with real dandelion seeds, bronze, LED lights and concrete, of which any dandelion seed was attached in itself creating an amazing effect of softness and light.

The Prize for Best Stand goes to “Chahan Gallery” of Chahan Minassian from Paris presenting with his own style an international interior design project, finishing with a selection of vintage pieces of 20th Century.

And the Prize for Best Object is for “Map of China” by Ai Weiwei, on display at the Friedman Benda gallery, from New York, an ironwood piece from dismantled temples of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

At PAD is present also visual art with rarest prints of photography materials, in between notably works of Newton, Cartier- Bresson, Leibovitz, Avedon and Mapplethorpe.

Worth of mention the Galerie Gmurzynska (Zurich) that turned the entire exhibition stand in a piece of art of Zaha Hadid the multi award winner who – the last 11th October – just received the Barclays award “Woman of the year 2010”.

Modern British Art Modern and classic contemporary paintings stars and painting masterpieces are presented.

Many of the galleries have some of the most exceptional works of Modern Art, rarely displayed in the UK and can find them throughout the fair. It is possible to see pieces of arts of famous artists, including Mirò, Klimt, Botero, Matisse, Basquiat, Giò Ponti, Degas, Rodin, Giacometti, Schiele, Balthus, Warhol, Ernst, and Grosz.

And you can be happily surprised to find out that Mitoraj, Braque, Dalì, Picasso, Anish Kapoor, Niki de St. Phalle, Fontana, and even Man Ray the photographer, were also jewellery makers not only painters or sculptors. Those are to be found at the exquisite post-war and contemporary artist- made jewellery galleries.

Design and decorative arts exhibitors comprise prominent contemporary pieces, together with French Art Deco and iconic 20th Century American, in a wide array of international artists, with a solo show of Czech glass master František Vizner, and elegant interiors objects by American designer Tony Duquette.

PAD unveils also brand new furniture by Guy de Rougemont, introducing the latest in interactive and cutting-edge design with fashionable from Zaha Hadid.

Furthermore are staging woodwork furniture by American artists Michael Coffey and Jack Rogers Hopkins.

The prestigious Entwistle Gallery (UK & France) launches the new genre of Tribal Art and Sladmore Gallery (UK) introduces 19th and 20th Century life-size bronzes and animalia.

Alongside Adrian Sassoon, the UK’s most respected dealer in contemporary ceramic, glass and metalwork, Jean- David Botella (France) showcases a selection of sumptuous Art Deco objects.

At the entrance on display works of the Postgraduate Art and Design course of the Royal College of Art. PAD London also affords this interesting project aimed at supporting young design talents. Created by curators Janice Blackburn and Nigel Coates, who have selected twenty pieces to be exhibited and presented for the first time, this project provides the 15% of the profits generated from the sale of these works will go towards to the RCA Student Fine Art Award Fund.

And there is a future for the PAD: “We have a selection committee and we try to invite the best galleries in design and modern art. That’s why this year we have some fantastic people around. It’s even better than the last year actually. Because last year we had a big success we were able to invite other very important colleagues so we are very happy. I can tell you now, next year we have 2 or 3 of the most important galleries, and they want to join us. So there is a future for this fair, no doubt. And there is a future also because it is a small fair. It’s small and beautiful. We keep the size, we don’t want to make it bigger. It is not that, the question is to please the art dealers, to please the colleagues: I am an art dealer myself, organiser but also art dealer that is my main activity. So I want to please my friend”.

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