The Best of London Art Fair 2014: 32 Artworks
According to their newsletter which I received in my mail this week, over 30,000 people visited the London Art Fair 2014. A good number of galleries are also saying that they've had fantastic sales at all price points. Great news all in all and a really great start for the art industry in this new year.
This all sounds very exciting as it reflects the mass appeal now of the art market, but of course, as you know, I am not a collector yet and all I wanted to do at this fair was to see good art. I was really looking forward to seeing emerging artists – yes there were plenty but having them all alongside some of the great masters such as the unique exhibition of British Modernism from The Hepworth Wakefield and a few sprinkled here and there in some gallery stands, I can't help but be pulled in to see works from** Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore and of the recently deceased Sir Anthony Caro** and found myself really biased. I've spent more time looking at the prints of Henri Gaudier-Brezska and of Eduardo Chillida, and less of the younger and perhaps more flamboyant ones. I do like contemporary art and I would like nothing more to discover young and new artists, but at that moment, I found some solace and hope that what I was looking at was great art.
There must be a reason why Modern Art has been performing well and attracting collectors and art enthusiasts. In fact, The Economist has mentioned that last year's art sales were mostly from the 20th or 21st century. Personally, I enjoyed the London Art Fair very much, not for contemporary art, though I've got a few favourites below. If it weren't for the museum partnership with The Hepworth gallery – who aren't really selling – I would not have enjoyed it as much, but that's only me and is a matter of personal preference. It doesn't really matter anyway. I won't be able to collect art in any which way, young or old. In art fairs, the opinion of those buying art matters. So I better shut up.
In any case, here are my favourites:
Hepworth Wakefield
1. Eduardo Paolozzi, 1929-2005 White Plaster Relief, 1975 painted plaster and wood
2. Kenneth Armitage, 1916-2003 SeatedWoman with Square Head bronze
3. Kenneth Armitage, 1916-2003 Figure Lying on its side bronze
4. Bryan Wynter, 1915-1975 High Country, 1956
5. Sir Anthony Caro (1924-2013) Table Place CLXIX, 1973-74
6. William Cruzer, 1930-2011 Essex Landscape, 1959
7. Sir Eduardo Paolozzi, 1924-2005 Head (self-portrait) bronze
8. William Turnbull, 1922-2012 Untitled
9. Barbara Hepworth, 1903-1975 Kneeling Figure, 1932
10. Ben Nicholson, 1984-1902 Piquet, 1933 oil on gesso
11. Henry Moore, 1898-1986 Five Metal Forms, 1937 crayon and chalk on paper
12. Henry Moore, 1898-1986 Pit boys at Pithead, 1942 (Pencil, pen and ink) wax coloured crayon and watercolour wash on paper
Main London Art Fair 2014
1. Jin Young Yu Union Gallery
2. Keith Coventry Bancroft Estate, 1907 oil on canvas, wood, gesso and glaze Vigo Gallery
3. Wycliffe Stutchbury Sheffield Park, 2013 Bug Oak
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4. Alan Davie b1920 Snake Dream, Feb 1983 oil on canvas Anthony Hepworth Gallery
5. John Forrester 1922-2002 Sigena with Red oil, sand and grit on canvas Panel Gallery
6. Henri Gaudier-Brzeska, 1891-1915 Rotten Row, circa 1913 pen and ink Browse and Durby gallery
7. Reg Butler St. Catherine 1959 Goodman Fine Art
8. Reg Butler Head Looking Up, 1952 Monotype Goodman Fine Art
9. Henry Moore
Animal Head, 1956
Goodman Fine Art
10. Barbara Hepworth Oval with Two Forms, 1971 bronze Jenna Burlingham Fine Art
11. Terry Frost, 1915-2003 Title, unknown watercolour on paper
12. David Bomberg, 1890-1957 Barge and Canal Bank signed 1921 gauche on paper
13. David Bomberg St Paul's signed 44 charcoal on paper Waterhouse and Dodd Gallery
14. Maria Colonne, 1951 Portland collage Portland Gallery
15. Sir Anthony Caro Basket Table Bronze, 1989-90 cast bronze Annely Juda Fine Art
16. Gro Thorsen, 1966 'Gallery Studies' oil on aluminium series of 105 Jill George Gallery
17. Bruce Mclean, 1944 Garden Blue, 2012 Monoprint with collage Jill George Gallery
18. Alison Lambert, 1957 'Magnus', 2013 charcoal and pastel on paper Jill George Gallery
19. Kelly Ratchford b. 1963 'Be Not Afraid', 2013 acrylic and charcoal on matchboxes set of 25
20. Eduardo Chillida Lithograph Adam gallery
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