London Art fairs in October 2007

Update: Jasper Joffe left a comment about the Free Art Fair, which looks excellent - see below.

I have made a map of the art fairs in London in October 2007. I'm sure someone else has already done it better, but I wanted to try out Google's My Maps. Frieze has a purple marker, the edgier ones (Year 07, Zoo, Scope) are in red, and the unknowns are blue. I am going to try get to some of the edgier ones and Frieze. Happy to make edits, errata, additions!

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Frieze
This is a monster of a show (you could spend half a day here) and it gets super-crowded on Sat and Sun so try go Thurs or Fri. The exhibitors list is here, and the talk/projects programme here. The bookshop always has good deals. Rodcorp at previous at Friezes: 2004, 2005, 2006.
Thurs 11-Sun 14 Oct, 11am-7pm, £12.50 if you book before 4 Oct, £18.50 after.
In Regent's Park, entrance from Outer Circle.
Nearest tube: Great Portland St, Regent's Park, Baker St.

Zoo
This is the fair for emerging artists, but is starting to move upscale. Exhibitors list is here, and it looks better than Frieze's. So if you're short of time, this will be a good bet.
Fri 12-Mon 15 Oct, 12-8pm (12-5pm on Mon), £10.
At the Royal Academy, 6 Burlington Gardens, W1S 3EX (the entrance will be from the Burlington Gardens side).
Nearest tube: Piccadilly Circus, Green Park.

Year 07
This is the youthful upstart, in its second year, also looks really good. Last year: Year 06.
Thurs 11-Sun 14 Oct, 12-8pm, £10.
At County Hall, Westminster Bridge Road, SE1 7PB
Nearest tube: Waterloo, Westminster, Embankment.

Scope
Is again is close to Frieze like a remora fish to its shark. And the website is enigmatic to say the least on its location, price, date... but the "Scope Shuttle provides service from Frieze to Scope London every half -hour". (So the marker on the map is probably completely wrong.)

Pulse
This is one of the new fairs in town, over from the US. Exhibitor list here and non-existent events here. Don't know much about it. There's an interview with the director at Art Rabbit.
Thurs 11-Sun 14 Oct, 12-8pm (1pm-8pm Thurs), £10.
At Mary Ward House, 5-7 Tavistock Place, London WC1.
Nearest tube: Russell Square, Euston, King's Cross.

New!: Free Art Fair
New this year, it's "an art fair where all the work is given away at the end ... on a first come first served basis", which sounds admirable. It's a great roster of artists too, so I'll be joining the queue.
Mon 8 - Sun 14 Oct, 11-6pm.
5, 8, and 21 Seymour Place, Portman Village, London W1H
(via Jasper Joffe , thanks! - Jasper's novel Water is good too.)

Bridge
Also new in town, from Chicago/Miami. Not far from Year 07 or Zoo, so you could do both in one big hit.
Fri 12-Sun 14 Oct, 12-8pm (12-6pm Sun), £10.
The Trafalgar Hotel, 2 Spring Gardens, Trafalgar Square.
Nearest tube: Charing Cross, Embankment.

Affordable Art Fair
Usually deemed un-serious by the art cognoscenti, but that shouldn't stop you. This will be good if you don't care for the cutting edge, or you're buying and have a sub-£3k budget.
Thu 18-Sun 21 Oct, 11am-6pm.
Battersea Park Events Arena, London SW11 4NJ.
Nearest tube: Sloane Square, where there are free shuttle buses, or you're on the train to Battersea Park, or on the bus.

The others
There will be some others. I haven't found many yet, except...
The London Art Fair is in January rather than October, and has lost some ground compared the newcomers.

See also: Will Year 07 be a hit or miss?

Comments

[Rob]

Looks like I'd better get on the train and get you to take me on a tour.

[Jasper Joffe]

what about the free art fair?

THE FREE ART FAIR

8 to 14 October 2007
The art fair where all the work is given away

Artists Anonymous
Centre Of Attention
Matthew Collings
Stuart Cumberland
Stephen Farthing
Rose Gibbs
Alex Hamilton
Peter Harris
Saron Hughes
Lee Johnson
Chantal Joffe
Jasper Joffe
Peter Lamb
Cathy Lomax
Amanda Loomes
Bruce McLean
Stephen Nelson
House of O'Dwyer
Harry Pye
Danny Rolph
Bob & Roberta Smith
Terry Smith
Markus Vater
Edward Ward
Michael Ward

5, 8, and 21 Seymour Place
Portman Village
London W1H

Open Monday to Sunday 11am till 6pm (T:07957 136066)
nearest tubes: Marble Arch and Edgware Road
www.freeartfair.com

The Free Art Fair is an art fair where all the work is given away at the end. People will have the chance to own a piece of art by artists from the Saatchi Collection or who have exhibited at the Tate. For once instead of art going to the highest bidder or those who can afford it, someone who really loves an artwork will be able to have it for free.

The Free Art Fair will be on show for one week at the same time as the Frieze Art Fair, one of the world's biggest art fairs. On the Sunday when the show finishes people will be able to take one piece of art away on a first come first served basis.

"I thought we should do something different from what everyone else is doing at this time of year and non-commercial, and something that excites people and values art not selling. This gives anyone the chance to own a serious piece of art." (Jasper Joffe, founder The Free Art Fair)

Artists who have confirmed their participation include several artists with work in the Saatchi Collection and Tate, Britain's best known art critic, a Royal Academician, and many of Britain's most exciting young artists.

"Money talks and it's persuasive BUT the best things in life are free."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FAQ

Q: How do I get my hands on a piece of art?

A: You come to the Free Art Fair, look around and decide which piece you would like. You can then register your name and address (it's one piece per household) and on Sunday 14th October at 6pm you come back to 21 Seymour Place and tell us which piece you want (you don't have to register beforehand, it will just make things quicker). If you are the first in the queue for that piece then it's yours. If that piece is taken you get one more choice, it that one's taken, then you've had your chance and it's off to the back of the queue. We won't tell you what's gone till the end, because we want people to take something they really want not just anything they can get! All you have to do is take it home that day. We do not provide transport and all work must be collected on the day (if not you can't have it!). We recommend you may need to arrive before 6pm to be first in the queue.

Q: Why are you giving away the art?

A: Because it seems like a nice idea. The people who want it the most, not only those that can afford it, will be able to own a great piece of contemporary art. It offers an alternative to the market frenzy which we see at this time of year, and opens a debate about the value of art.

Q: Who are these artists?

A: They are all artists whose work we love and are include some of Britain's best known and most promising artists. They include Chantal Joffe, who won the major award at the 2006 Royal Academy Summer show. Bob and Roberta Smith whose work has been exhibited at The Tate Britain. Stephen Farthing who is a Royal Academician and whose work can be seen in The National Portrait Gallery. Artists Anonymous who will be exhibiting at Haunch of Venison Zurich in 2008. Stuart Cumberland whose paintings are on show at The Approach in September. Matthew Collings who is an artist and Britain's best known art critic too.

Q: Are they just giving away a piece of paper they've done a scribble on?

A: No, not unless that's what they do anyway. All the artists are showing a serious piece of work because we want to put on a great show. Harry Pye, Jasper Joffe, and Peter Lamb in collaboration with Lee Johnson have confirmed that they will be giving away large-scale paintings. Bob and Roberta Smith, in the tradition of Manzoni, will exhibit bottles of his own urine. He is not taking the piss.

Q: Shouldn't the artists get paid for their hard work?

A: Well, we believe that it is great if artists are well rewarded for their art. Most artists earn very little money from their work and that is bad. The Free Art Fair is not saying art is worthless. It is saying art is worth more and about more. Most artists don't become artists to get rich, though it's nice if it happens, they do it for various reasons often including that they love art.

Press, Images, Interviews, and Sponsorship Opportunities please contact Jasper Joffe on 079571 36066 or [email protected]

[SYLVIE DODIN]

HELLO

I AM A FRENCH ARTIST PAINTER
I AM LOOKING A FAIR OPENED ALSO DIRECTLY TO ARTISTS-NOTONLY RESERVED TO GALLERY

COULD YOU SUGGEST ME SOME
YOU LOOK TO KNOW VERY WELL ALL THE FAIRS AROUND LONDON
I HAVE A WEB SITE (still in french sorry but will be translated in english soon)

We are from Lille but sharing our time between Aix en provence and Lille
my web site
www.sylvieodin.com

best regards

sylvie dodin

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[Dennis GERVASIO]

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