Artists pick from the 2012 London art fair – part 3

Here is the third part of our artists pick from the 2012 London art fair | Read part 1 | Read part 2

Paul Richards via Connaught Brown
Pastel on paper
Paul Richards via Connaught Brown

Paul Richards via Connaught Brown

Elfyn Lewis via Beaux Arts London
Acrylic on MDF
Elfyn Lewis via Beaux Arts London

Tanc via The French Art Studios
Spray paint and ink on canvas
Tanc via The French Art Studios

Ralph Steadman via Jealous gallery
Giclee print with debossed border on Somerset paper
Ralph Steadman via Jealous gallery

Nick Morris via Arteria
Screenprint
Nick Morris via Arteria

Nick Morris via Arteria

Anne Penmansweet via Stephanie Hoppen gallery
Oil on canvas
Anne Penmansweet via Stephanie Hoppen gallery

Artists pick from the 2012 London art fair – part1

If there is one art fair I have been and do not want to miss from now on, is the London Art Fair (LAF). Why is that? Just simply because it presents over 100 galleries featuring the great names of 20th century British art and exceptional contemporary work from leading figures and emerging talent.

Added to that, there are always a bunch of solo shows and curated group displays in the Art Projects section and even a showcase for contemporary photography. You’ll have understood by now, the LAF is my Thorpe park as a kid; always eager to go and never willing to go home once in it.

Here below is our artist pick (part 1) | Read part 2 | Read part 3

Sarah Hardcare via Paul Stolper
Habd pulled, four colour photo silk screen print on 300 gsm Caneletto paper
Sarah Hardcare via Paul StolperSarah Hardcare via Paul Stolper

Thomas Allen via Foley gallery (left) | Shaun Doyle and Mally Mallinson via Paul Stolper
Chromogenic print (left) | Cast bronze (right)
Thomas Allen via Foley galleryShaun Doyle and Mally Mallinson via Paul Stolper

Tom Ormond via Charlie Smith
Oil on linen
Tom Ormond via Charlie Smith

Rob and Nick Carter via Fine Art Society
Paint pigment photographs
Rob and Nick Carter via Fine Art Society

Matthew Redford via Agnew’s gallery (left) | Paul Wright via Thompson’s gallery (right)
Oil on canvas (left) | Oil on canvas (right)
Matthew Redford via Agnew's galleryPaul Wright via Thompson's gallery

Carla Melegari via Thompson’s gallery
Oil on canvas
Carla Melegari via Thompson's gallery

Cameron Gray via Sims Reed gallery
Photocollage
Cameron Gray via Sims Red gallery

Cameron Gray via Sims Red gallery

Lego Terracota Army comes to life

Lego 3d by Planet Street PaintingTake two thing a large number of us have manipulated once in their lives: LEGO and chalk. Take it further and create something too amazing for not writing something up about it. Dutchman Peter Westerink and a few other helping hands must have astonished a few by-passers with their 100m2 3D creation depicting a army of LEGO men Terracotta style.

You will see below, pictures showing the steps these guys has to go through. Oh and did I mention that it took 6 full days to a crew of four artists (Leon Keer, who also came up with the design, Remko Van Schaik, Ruben Poncia and Peter Westerink) to get this leaped out if the concrete floor. No surprise that the Sarasota Chalk Festival in Florida was chosen, imagine doing that at Glastonbury festival where it is very likely to rain and wash out a pile of efforts.

A grid is first laid out using chalk, then painted over with white paint before being removed and a mammoth task begins: filling.

Peter and his crew (and many other artists) are part of Planet Streetpainting is a collaborative of international street painters

Lego 3d by Planet Street Painting

Lego 3d by Planet Street Painting

Lego 3d by Planet Street Painting

Wire sculptures by David Oliveira

Is “wire sculpture” becoming a thing? Well we met Robin Wight and his beautiful Fairies Wire Sculptures and we were astonished by the outcome.

Meet David Oliveira and his animal wire sculptures. His manipulation of wire to create a zoo of mind-boggling animal sculptures is just crazy. have you ever tried to make something out of the wire thingy around a champagne cork? Yes you did .

David Oliveira | Art-Pie

But take it to the next level and you get what might look like for some some sort of doodle or drawing. We have not had the chance yet to see the artist’s work in front of our eyes but we hear that the what looks like a 2d piece is an intricate yet clever use of wires to shape 3d wildlife animals.

What the artists says –

“My work 99% comes from my memory the other 1% is wire. Very ecological, right? Why wire? Because [it] is a line that can [stand] against gravity… Because [it] is naif, easy and spontaneous.”

David oliveira | Art-Pie

Cranio or street art from Sao Paulo

Fabio, a.k.a. Cranio is from São Paulo, Brazil and have been spraying around since 1998.

Still to have a show in the UK, I am sure it is just a matter of time, Cranio is getting more and more attentionI in his native country. Armed with sprays, latex paint, brushes and paint rollers, he leaves his imagination flow and his passion for indigenous art blossom.

Enjoy a selection of some of his works below. The first photograph is his latest work. We love the Brazilian pareo!

See more of Cranio’s street art

Cranio

Cranio

Cranio

Cranio

Cranio

Cranio

Cranio

Cranio

Bonhams' Urban art auction – beyond expectation

The art auction market has been around for years, certainly a lot more than street art has been but yet, this emerging form of art seems to be on everybody’s lips and wallet indeed.

Bonhams’ auction, which just happened, has definitely showed us that. The bidding was fierce, the desire to own pieces from street artists, a must. The total sale from this Urban Art Sale at Bonham’s New Bond Street reached 455,760 GBP, with almost half of the works selling above their high estimates.

Here are some of the best sales

Banksy
‘Save or Delete Jungle Book’, 2001. This piece was originally made for Greenpeace
Sold for £78,000

Banksy - Jungle book

Ben Eine
Circus A-Z’, 2010
stencil spray paint and glitter on canvas
Sold for £6,600

Ben Eine - Circus

Futura 2000
Untitled, a performance piece created live on the Clash’s ‘Combat Rock’ tour, circa 1983
Sold for £38,400

Futura 2000 - Untitled

via Hang-Up

STREET ART ENCOUNTERS