Friday, April 5, 2013

The Affordable Art Fair, NYC, April 3rd-April 7th, 2013, The Metropolitan Pavilion

The Affordable Art Fair, NYC, April 3rd-April 7th, 2013, Metropolitan Pavilion

By E. Joyce Glasgow, www.artsandculturescene.com


The Affordable Art Fair, www.affordableartfair.com, is taking place in New York City this week, providing art lovers, collectors and potential collectors on a budget an opportunity to find an inspiring, contemporary work of art to take home. Featured are all mediums including paintings, sculptures, photography, prints, drawings, etc. All work is under $10,000, with an encouraging 50% in the $100.00-$5000.00 range, many pieces under $1,500.00. In an art world where generally prices are astronomical, this seems like a relative bargain. One can find the next up and coming art star alongside some established names and recent art school graduates at the displays by over 85 art galleries from different parts of the globe. The Affordable Art Show takes place annually in a number of cities, internationally, at different times throughout the year. Following is a short history of the Affordable Art Fair and its founder, Will Ramsay.

Way back in 1996, Will Ramsay opened Will’s Art Warehouse in southwest London to bridge the public’s increasing interest in contemporary art and London’s highbrow gallery scene. By concentrating on relatively unknown artists not carrying a premium for reputation, the gallery was able to offer works from about $100 up to $5,000 from a stable of over 150 artists. The response Will received from his Art Warehouse inspired him to take his approach to the next level, and three years later the Affordable Art Fair was born.  By embracing other friendly galleries selling affordable art, the first fair launched in Battersea Park in October 1999. 10,000 visitors took advantage of the ease of buying, breadth of choice, affordable prices and user-friendly approach.
Today, Will’s Art Warehouse still stands and the Affordable Art Fair has become something of a global phenomenon. The Affordable Art Fair now takes place in: Amsterdam, Bristol, Brussels, New York, Milan, London, Singapore, Hamburg, Mexico City, Rome, Seattle and Stockholm. Globally, over 1 million people have visited an Affordable Art Fair and purchased over $250 million dollars worth of art.

 The Metropolitan Pavilion is located at 125 West 18th Street , N.Y.C.







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