the art collectors

Friday, January 9th, 2009

Uncertainty as London Art Fair Approaches

Nick Walker’s new print, The Empire State, will be released by Black Rat Press
at The London Art Fair.

The London Art Fair opens its doors next week, on January 13th.  Many will be keeping a close eye on the second most substantial British venue for art sales (the younger Frieze Fair holds the top position).  With the recent slowdown in attendance and sales figures at both Art Basel Miami last month and at the Freize Art Fair this past October, the outlook remains questionable for the first major fair of the new year.

One interesting addition to this year’s convention comes from Black Rat Press, a London print shop and gallery dealing exclusively in urban street art, including some names to have risen to astronomical heights in a very short amount of time.  In an interview with Bloomberg, Black Rat director, Mike Snelle, anticipated selling out a new print by Nick Walker (edition of 175 and priced at 475 pounds) within the fair’s first hour.

By this time next week we should know if Snelle’s prediction will hold true, and if the rest of the exhibitors at The London Art Fair will be as lucky.