Let’s be honest, not all art is meant to be fully understood. And considering how some art pieces can rack up prices beyond the million dollar mark, it’s easy to see why many would turn the other way. Art appreciation hasn’t always been an affordable affair in Singapore – not till this novel game-changer turned the art industry on its head.
For 16 years, the folks behind the London-founded Affordable Art Fair have embraced one philosophy – to provide a fuss-free environment where visitors can not only appreciate art without pressure, but are also urged to purchase such works without leaving a hole in their pockets. Having organised 16 fairs annually in 11 countries, the Affordable Art Fair has welcomed over 1.6 million visitors, and boasts sales exceeding S$480 million globally.
And it’s not as if the Affordable Art Fair charges a fortune for its displayed works, ranging from the abstract to the figurative; all works are sold between the price range of $100 and $10,000 (75% of the works are below $7,500). There are paintings, sculptures, contemporary calligraphy and street art collated from artists all around the world.
Amongst the 600 artists on display – gathered from over 80 local and international galleries – at the sixth Autumn Edition, Singapore artists make up a whopping 40% of the roster, including Cultural Medallion recipient, Lim Tze Peng. If budget’s top of your priority list, oogle at the Under $1,000 Wall, and snap up an array of affordable art pieces. Plus, take home their spoils in mint condition kudos to the Affordable Art Fair’s wrapping service – which is free of charge, no less.
If all that artistic browsing bestowed you with a spark of enlightenment, you can learn a thing or two about the art scene with the Art Education Space. Immerse yourself in this interactive portal of demos and talks, and you might just awaken the Picasso in you. Otherwise, you can simply choose to get dazzled by the live visual mapping of artistic collective, Band Of Doodlers.
Understandably, you’d need a break from all that jazz, and thankfully, the Afforable Art Fair has plenty of fringe distractions that will reset your brain after hours of staring at art. Satiate your palate with a cheese platter or a cous cous salad at Bistro 1855, sip a cup of Joe at Common Man Coffee Roasters, or down a pint of Italian beer at Peroni Bar. But if you’re more worried about whether your lil’ tots are bored outta their minds, keep ’em occupied at the Little Artists Studio – a fine art studio catered to young’uns from the age of two-half and onwards. And yes Mums and Dads, you’re free to join as well.
November 12-15 2015, 12–10pm (timings vary). Affordable Art Fair Singapore, Autumn Edition 2015, F1 Pit Building, 1 Republic Boulevard, p. 6422 7192. Tickets for general admission at $18; tickets for students & seniors at $10; free admission for children under 16.
This article is sponsored by Affordable Art Fair.