Affordable Art Fair 2019

Contemporary Artworks from Australia and Across the Globe

The Affordable Art Fair arrives at Australia's culture capital this September, bringing four days of enviable art, from some of the best domestic and international galleries to the historic Royal Exhibition Building.

The objective of the Affordable Art Fair is to disrupt and demystify the world of art and over 20 years the global brand has helped over 500,000 artworks find happy homes. The event aims to inspire art lovers and established collectors alike to discover new artists and purchase works of art. The fair places an emphasis highly visible pricing, so there are no surprises.

With over 50 contemporary galleries and 1000s of works on offer, attendees are able to realise the joy of collecting art, define their personal taste and let individuality reign. A full spectrum of art genres will be available – painting, sculpture, installation, photography and limited edition prints with prices starting from as little as $100 and capping at $12,000, accommodating every taste, space and spend. Beyond the artworks, there will be a myriad of art-filled hands-on workshops, expert tours and more.

The fair provides the unique opportunity to peruse and purchase works from respected galleries across the globe including Jinsan Gallery, South Korea – featuring celebrated works from K-Pop artist Kwon Ji An; contemporary Italian gallery Palma Arte and Pop Art specialists Axiom Contemporary from Santa Monica, USA; VRG (Hong Kong); Tableau (South Korea); Taiko & Associates and The Tolman Collection of Tokyo (Japan); Asian Art Platform (Singapore); LF Gallery (Peru); Chiaroni Gallery (New Zealand); Byard Art (United Kingdom) plus many more.

The exemplary array of Australian galleries joining the Affordable Art Fair will include Cooee Gallery from Sydney in Bondi and Paddington quality Australian Aboriginal art, and Project Gallery 90, also from Sydney and Fern Street Gallery representing a team of regional New South Wales Surf Coast artists. Closer to home, Bluethumb from Melbourne will display pieces from Archibald finalist Kim Leutwyler, cutting-edge interiors boutique Fenton & Fenton will have a number of artists from their travelling tour, The Gallery; along with fellow Victorian galleries West End Art Space, Fox Galleries, Martinich & Carran, Art to Art Gallery, Tusk Gallery, Tacit Galleries and Vernissage.

The fair also provides a platform to see Victoria's best emerging artists. The Young Talent Victoria initiative will give five unrepresented artists the chance to present their work to a wide audience. Artists Alice Oehr, Tom Ferson, Emily Eliades, Naomi Nicholls and James Mulcahy will each create a strong solo presentation of their work for the fair. Some are recent graduates, others have carved out a name for themselves, but all are under 35 and leading their field creatively. Around the world, the Affordable Art Fair has successfully launched many young careers with artists being picked up by galleries and museum shows alike. Tours of the Young Talent Victoria are held daily to showcase the state's rising stars.

Alongside gallery offerings, live performance art and special projects will abound featuring live body painting from Emma Hack of Gotye and Kimbra body-painting-fame and Jackie Case who will bring hidden performance to life, offering miniature one-off sketches drawn from inside a whimsical life-size ATM. Attendees will be able to request sketches from Jackie via insertion of their pre-paid 'ART ATM' card.

West End Art Gallery's premier sculptor, Cezary Stulgisis will create a series of site-specific canine steel sculptures to prowl the site along with interactive giant "thought catchers" from artist Jasmine Mansbridge, where participants will be invited to step into the artwork. The fair will also see the world's first interactive digital portrait, "Descendant X" by Greg McDonald (Chiaroni) & Vaka Interactiv. The image of a young, Māori girl comes to life when looked at, and tells her story to the viewer in her native Māori language of Aotearoa, New Zealand.

The Creative Hub will offer a space focused on mental wellness with inspiring and interactive activities, designed to unbridle creativity and promote conversation. Expertly designed by art therapists as an area to express emotion, the Creative Hub features a mindful colouring station to unplug and meditate as well as a cathartic 'shred it or save it' Banksy-inspired installation. Users can choose to keep or dramatically shred own their own artworks like the famous street artist's auction stunt.

To help guide art lovers throughout the fair, informative tours will be held by the fair's expert team to help patrons navigate the expansive collection. Each day, Fair Director, Stephanie Kelly will walk through her must-visit galleries and artists. For those who are new to collecting art, the under $1,000 selection tour will help start their art purchasing journey.

Those eager to get a sneak peek at the artworks will not want to miss the fair's Opening Night – an exclusive evening cocktail event and the first chance to take an artwork home.

Opening Times
Thursday 5 September 2019, 5 – 9pm - Opening Night
Friday 6 September 2019, 12 Noon – 5pm;
Saturday 7 September 2019, 10am – 6pm
Sunday 8 September 2019, 10am – 6pm

www.affordableartfair.com/fairs/Melbourne