The 36th edition of the London Art Fair maintains traditional elements while embracing bold narratives. It presents a dynamic mix of modern and contemporary art from 120+ galleries. Prominent artists featured include Andy Warhol, Bridget Riley, David Hockney, and Francis Bacon.
Ruup & Form’s booth stands out with a diverse collection of works, including seed pods woven into a textile piece and a pastel-colored landscape, creating a cohesive materiality. Liss Llewellyn impresses with an exquisite salon hang featuring overlooked 20th-century painters and printmakers, while Fiumano Clase showcases large paintings by Bulgarian artist Andreana Dobreva, drawing visitors in with vibrant colors and historical narratives.
Vane catches attention with Stephen Palmer’s small acrylic painting, and Ricardo Fernandes Gallery stands out for its compelling storytelling on women’s oppression and resilience. Mookji Gallery incorporates abstracted patterns and architectural motifs, and &Gallery impresses with a less-is-more approach in curating. Liminal Gallery gains praise for its bold and approachable presentation, and Soho Revue Gallery shines with Taro-inspired etchings by Nooka Shepherd.
With a dedicated section exclusively for prints and editions, the event showcases a diverse range of prints and originals spanning from the postwar era to contemporary works. It highlights the unique appeal of prints, combining tangibility, scarcity, and historical significance, serving as a bridge for new collectors.
A new section this year is Photo50, a forum for current photographic practice. It focuses on themes of communion, co-dependence with the environment, and resistance. It features diverse works, including a series of photographs titled “Chalk Streams” focusing on watercourses in Dorset and Hampshire, vibrant pink lakes in Senegal captured in “Lac Rose,” and the highly symbolic “FaRIDA” photomontages inspired by Frida Kahlo.
Other notable works include abstract pieces like “Many Lives,” created by exposing photographic paper directly to nature, and equine photographs, such as “Horse Landscape – Australia,” where the photographer reimagines the anatomy of horses as landscapes.
The annual Museum Partnership with Charleston hosts select works from the Bloomsbury Group, including artists Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant. Charleston also launches the 50 for 50 campaign, searching for significant Bloomsbury group artist paintings.
The Platform section explores queer love and life through art selected by guest curator Gemma Rolls-Bentley. Inspired by Virginia Woolf’s novel Orlando, the section brings together works against a pastel pink backdrop, emphasizing resilience, beauty, and passion in the face of threats to LGBTQI+ life.
