The event was celebrating its 30th birthday and, as usual, this year’s edition featured a range of paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, photography, ceramics and even installations from the 131 galleries that took a stand at the fair.
Among the significant sales announced was an original drawing by Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) sold by Fairhead Fine Art for £30,000. Titled Etude de Nus (Nudes study), the pen, brush and ink on paper from 1915 was signed with the artist’s initial ‘R’ to the lower left.
The London dealer also sold a Roy Lichtenstein (1923-1997) screenprint for £18,500. Titled 1996, it was signed by the artist in pencil and came from an edition of 175.
A screenprint by Roy Lichtenstein titled ‘1996’ that was sold for £18,500 at the London Art fair by Fairhead Fine Art. Image courtesy of Fairhead Fine Art.
Elsewhere around the stands, fellow London gallery Piano Nobile sold a sculpture by Scottish artist Eduardo Paolozzi (1924-2005) for £165,000.
Among the sales made by dealers from outside London was a Grayson Perry (b.1960) embroidery offered by Castlegate House Gallery from Cumbria. Entitled Britain is Best, the 3ft 11in x 3ft 3in (1.2 x 1m) work from 2014 was from an edition of 20 and sold for £45,000.
‘Britain is Best’, an embroidery by Grayson Perry that was sold at the London Art Fair by Castlegate House Gallery for £45,000. Image courtesy of Castlegate House Gallery.
Speaking to ATG on the fair’s preview day, Steve Swallow of Castlegate House Gallery said that he finds the January event an opportunity to “really get in front of clients that already know us but, usefully, also see lots of potential clients that don’t know us”.
He added: “It’s a great springboard for the rest of the year, meeting new people and actually developing those relationships during the course of the year.”
Watch video of ATG speaking to the London Art Fair director Sarah Monk, Robert Travers of Piano Nobile and Steve Swallow of Castlegate House Gallery.
