The Best of London Art Fair 2014: 32 Artworks

The Best of London Art Fair 2014: 32 Artworks
27 January 2014

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

1. Eduardo Paolozzi_White Plaster Relief
1. Eduardo Paolozzi_White Plaster Relief

2. Kenneth Armitage, 1916-2003 SeatedWoman with Square Head bronze

2. Kenneth Armitage_Seated Woman with Square
2. Kenneth Armitage_Seated Woman with Square

3. Kenneth Armitage, 1916-2003 Figure Lying on its side bronze

3. Kenneth Armitage_Figure Lying on its Side
3. Kenneth Armitage_Figure Lying on its Side

4. Bryan Wynter, 1915-1975 High Country, 1956

4. Bryan Wynter_High Country
4. Bryan Wynter_High Country

5. Sir Anthony Caro (1924-2013) Table Place CLXIX, 1973-74

5. Sir Anthony Caro_Table Place
5. Sir Anthony Caro_Table Place

6. William Cruzer, 1930-2011 Essex Landscape, 1959

6. William Craser_Essex Landscape2
6. William Craser_Essex Landscape2

7.  Sir Eduardo Paolozzi, 1924-2005 Head (self-portrait) bronze

7. Eduardo Paolozzi_Head Self portrait2
7. Eduardo Paolozzi_Head Self portrait2

8. William Turnbull, 1922-2012 Untitled

8. William Turnbull_Untitled
8. William Turnbull_Untitled

9. Barbara Hepworth, 1903-1975 Kneeling Figure, 1932

9. Barbara Hepworth_Kneeling Figure
9. Barbara Hepworth_Kneeling Figure

10. Ben Nicholson, 1984-1902 Piquet, 1933 oil on gesso

10. Ben Nicholson_Piquet
10. Ben Nicholson_Piquet

11. Henry Moore, 1898-1986 Five Metal Forms, 1937 crayon and chalk on paper

11. Henry Moore_Five Metal Forms
11. Henry Moore_Five Metal Forms

12. Henry Moore, 1898-1986 Pit boys at Pithead, 1942 (Pencil, pen and ink) wax coloured crayon and watercolour wash on paper

12. Henry Moore_Pitboys at Pithead
12. Henry Moore_Pitboys at Pithead

Main London Art Fair 2014

1. Jin Young  Yu Union Gallery

LAR_1. Jin Young_YU
LAR_1. Jin Young_YU

2. Keith Coventry Bancroft Estate, 1907 oil on canvas, wood, gesso and glaze Vigo Gallery

LAR_2. Keith Coventry_Bancroft Estate
LAR_2. Keith Coventry_Bancroft Estate

3. Wycliffe Stutchbury Sheffield Park, 2013 Bug Oak

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LAR_3. Wycliffe Stutchbury
LAR_3. Wycliffe Stutchbury

4. Alan Davie b1920 Snake Dream, Feb 1983 oil on canvas Anthony Hepworth Gallery

LAR_4. Alan Davie_Snake Dream
LAR_4. Alan Davie_Snake Dream

5. John Forrester 1922-2002 Sigena with Red oil, sand and grit on canvas Panel Gallery

LAR_5. John Forrester_Sigena with Red
LAR_5. John Forrester_Sigena with Red

6. Henri Gaudier-Brzeska, 1891-1915 Rotten Row, circa 1913 pen and ink Browse and Durby gallery

LAR_6. Henri Gaudier-Brzeska_Rotten Row
LAR_6. Henri Gaudier-Brzeska_Rotten Row

7. Reg Butler St. Catherine 1959 Goodman Fine Art

LAR_7.Reg Butler_St Catherine
LAR_7.Reg Butler_St Catherine

8. Reg Butler Head Looking Up, 1952 Monotype Goodman Fine Art

LAR_8. Reg Butler_Head Looking Up
LAR_8. Reg Butler_Head Looking Up

9. Henry Moore Animal Head, 1956 Goodman Fine Art

LAR_9. Henry Moore_Animal Head
LAR_9. Henry Moore_Animal Head

10. Barbara Hepworth Oval with Two Forms, 1971 bronze Jenna Burlingham Fine Art

LAR_10. Barbara Hepworth_Oval with Two Forms
LAR_10. Barbara Hepworth_Oval with Two Forms

11. Terry Frost, 1915-2003 Title, unknown watercolour on paper

LAR_11. Terry Frost
LAR_11. Terry Frost

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

LAR_12 & 13 David Bomberg_St Pauls_Bargee and Canal Bank
LAR_12 & 13 David Bomberg_St Pauls_Bargee and Canal Bank

14. Maria Colonne, 1951 Portland  collage Portland Gallery

LAR_14. Maria Colonne_Portland
LAR_14. Maria Colonne_Portland

15. Sir Anthony Caro Basket Table Bronze, 1989-90 cast bronze Annely Juda Fine Art

LAR_15. Sir Anthony Caro_Basket Table Bronze
LAR_15. Sir Anthony Caro_Basket Table Bronze

16. Gro Thorsen, 1966 'Gallery Studies' oil on aluminium series of 105 Jill George Gallery

LAR_16. Gro Thorsen_Gallery Studies
LAR_16. Gro Thorsen_Gallery Studies

17. Bruce Mclean, 1944 Garden Blue, 2012 Monoprint with collage Jill George Gallery

LAR_17. Bruce Mclean_Garden-Blue
LAR_17. Bruce Mclean_Garden-Blue

18. Alison Lambert, 1957 'Magnus', 2013 charcoal and pastel on paper Jill George Gallery

LAR_18. Alison Lambert_Magnus
LAR_18. Alison Lambert_Magnus

19. Kelly Ratchford b. 1963 'Be Not Afraid', 2013 acrylic and charcoal on matchboxes set of 25

LAR_19. Kelly Ratchford_Be Not Afraid
LAR_19. Kelly Ratchford_Be Not Afraid

20. Eduardo Chillida Lithograph Adam gallery

LAR_20. Eduardo Chillida
LAR_20. Eduardo Chillida

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