Let’s face it—nice art is something we’d all like to have on our walls, but it’s something few of us can afford. Well, that’s all about to change with the arrival of the Affordable Art Fair, an art extravaganza selling everything from paintings and sculptures to prints and photography, all priced below $10,000 and all clearly labeled, so there’s no question about what you can and can’t afford.
What is it about the Fair that you think resonates with the public?
It’s approachable, accessible and fun!
What are some of the biggest misconceptions surrounding the AAF?
People seem to think that affordability means low quality. There are both established and young artists who sell a good range of quality works for under our price ceiling. Furthermore, when we go to new cities, the ‘established art market’ tends to make the assumptions that there is no space in the market for this kind of show, that the buyers we attract don’t exist because they don’t even go to the galleries. It is always a great feeling when the galleries actually see the show and think, “Wow, I have never seen these people before in my gallery. They are really interested and they are buying.”
How is the AAF Singapore different from the other editions?
Each market that we go to is, of course, different – even if they come from the same region (for example, in Europe, Italy, France and the UK are all very different). With Singapore, the art market is growing quickly and is very dynamic, more so than other new markets that we have entered recently. There is strong support from the government. It’s a very exciting market to enter and also interesting because there is such a diverse mix of people here.
Can you describe a typical day for you during the fair?
I like to spend a lot of time with the galleries and see them interacting with the visitors. I also like to see what is being bought.
What’s next for the AAF?
The next new fair that we have is in Milan in February 2011, which we are excited about. Aside from that, we are looking at a number of potential cities in Europe, Asia and also Latin America, although these are at the early stages of research!
