Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Autumn Experiences in Sweden – Our Top Picks
The breadth and beauty of art for all Forget what you know about art. Or, rather, forget what you think that you do not know about art. Affordable Art Fair Stockholm is here to make art accessible for everyone and create an enjoyable atmosphere where questions are welcome and art appreciation is a free-for-all.
From Battersea to the world
The Stockholm leg of the fair started out in 2012 and, with its 11,000 visitors, immediately became the biggest art fair in the Nordic countries. The event has grown year on year and over 50 local as well as international galleries came to exhibit a wide range of artwork last year. The fair has undoubtedly been a success.
Affordable Art Fair was founded by Will Ramsay in Battersea in 1999 with the aim of making contemporary art accessible for all. He wanted to expel the myth that one must be an art academic or millionaire to enjoy and buy art. The fair quickly became a success and has grown to include 11 cities across the globe, including Singapore, New York, Milan and Hong Kong. Each year, over 220,000 people are welcomed
Alongside the principal motto of having fun, there are a few rules. For example, each gallery exhibiting at the art fair must bring living artists. “Because, as Will would say, dead artists don’t need money,” says Rynell. “We want to support artists to make a living from their art.” Moreover, there is a price cap at 50,000 SEK and everything is clearly labelled to
By Linnea Dunne | Photos: Affordable Art Fair Stockholm
“I majored in art history, and even I can find the white walls and silence of art galleries intimidating,” says Sylvia Rynell, fair manager at the Affordable Art Fair Stockholm. “Affordable Art Fair is the complete opposite – that’s what’s so fantastic about it. It’s a load of fun, everyone’s there to learn more about art, and everyone can add something to their collection – whatever their budget.” With an unparalleled breadth of styles and disciplines, that is more than an empty promise. Thanks to a price cap and many galleries bringing along prints 42 | Issue 103 | August 2017
to the fairs around the globe, and since the start they have together bought art for more than 365 million euros.
and lithographs, visitors get the opportunity to buy a piece by their favourite artist – without breaking the bank.