From Modern British masters and emerging talent to major solo exhibitions and international art fairs, we look back at a particularly busy autumn for the art world.
October is always one of the busiest months in London's cultural calendar. With Frieze London and Frieze Masters drawing collectors, galleries and art professionals to the capital, the surrounding weeks bring a packed programme of fairs, exhibitions, openings and events.
For Cultural Comms, this year's autumn season began with British Art Fair, followed by Affordable Art Fair Battersea and the London debut of teenage artist Joe Whale. Meanwhile, our work with Gander & White took us behind the scenes of the international art market, from London to Paris, while The Arts Club staged its own exhibition and shared its perspectives on art month with Country & Town House.
Read on for more...
Frieze: The Centre of Art Month
Highlights of Frieze were explored by The Arts Club’s Meher Waney, Director of Membership and Business Development, who shared her insider's guide to the week with Country & Town House - from exhibitions and emerging artists to the best places to eat, drink and spend an evening.
Her top picks of the week? "Carbon 12. They represent Nour Malas, whose solo exhibition Living Multiplicity is in our Drawing Room right now, and by coincidence we’ll be showing another Carbon 12 artist at the Arts Club Dubai in November. I’m also looking forward to Sadie Coles’s booth to see Alex Da Corte. I love multidisciplinary artists who aren’t confined to one medium, and he moves between sculpture, installation, video and performance.”
British Art Fair: Celebrating the best of British art
The season began at Saatchi Gallery, when British Art Fair brought together more than 70 dealers specialising in Modern and Contemporary British art.
Among the highlights was a special tribute to David Hockney, curated by artist Eleanor Ekserdjian, alongside works by Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Bridget Riley, Frank Auerbach and Tracey Emin.
The fair also looked beyond established names. Spotlight: Contemporary and Spotlight: Digitalism introduced newer practices, while a special exhibition curated by Jo McLaughlin explored creativity in later life. Charity partner Outside In marked its 20th anniversary with a presentation championing artists who face barriers to the traditional art world.
The fair reported encouraging sales across the market, from affordable prints to six-figure works, including Walter Sickert's The Visitor, which sold for £95,000. A Bridget Riley screenprint, Brouillard, also found a buyer for £26,000.
The edition attracted substantial media attention, including The Art Newspaper's feature on Hockney and the enduring appeal of British Art Fair.
Affordable Art Fair: Showcasing the next generation
Just weeks later, our attention turned to Battersea Park, where Affordable Art Fair returned with a particular focus on the next generation of artists and collectors.
One of the biggest attractions was the Graduate Showcase, curated by Jo McLaughlin, which showcased work by 30 recent graduates from leading UK art schools. Supported by JM Finn, the programme included a £5,000 studio grant for an emerging artist, which this year was presented to London-based Ukrainian contemporary painter Anastasiia Kyrpenko.
The fair also introduced its inaugural Tastemaker programme, inviting cultural voices including Yomi Adegoke, Vivienne Chow, Tabish Khan and Charlotte Langridge to share their personal selections.
Visitors were welcomed by Charles Inge's striking six-metre-high House of Cards installation, while an extensive programme of creative workshops, family activities and Art After Dark events offered opportunities to engage with art beyond the gallery stands.
The fair's emphasis on emerging talent was also highlighted by Arts & Collections, reflecting its longstanding ambition to introduce contemporary art to new audiences and encourage first-time collectors.
The Arts Club: Art beyond the gallery walls
Alongside the fairs, The Arts Club in Mayfair continued its autumn exhibition programme with two distinctive solo presentations.
Beijing-born, London-based artist Vivien Zhang transformed the club's Ante Room through an immersive installation combining painting, wallpaper and sculptural elements. Meanwhile, Syrian-Canadian artist Nour Malas presented an exhibition of expressive paintings exploring memory, identity and personal experience.
This was followed up by American interiors and lifestyle magazine VERANDA, which explored the club's artistic heritage, contemporary collection and beautifully appointed rooms and suites, positioning The Arts Club as a Mayfair destination for art lovers visiting London.
Joe Whale: From The Doodle Boy to contemporary artist
October also marked a significant milestone for 16-year-old Joe Whale, who presented his first major London solo exhibition, Ambassadors of Feeling, at The Truman Brewery in Shoreditch.
First known internationally as The Doodle Boy, after his childhood drawings on the walls of a Shrewsbury restaurant went viral, Whale has since collaborated with brands including Nike, Disney and M&S.
Now based in Adelaide, Australia, his latest exhibition revealed a substantial evolution in his artistic practice.
Featuring more than 22 new works, including paintings and sculpture, Ambassadors of Feeling introduced ten characters representing ideas such as Rebellion, Peace, Imagination and Awareness.
Drawing on his experiences of growing up, moving countries and navigating an increasingly digital world, the exhibition explored how emotion and creativity are shaped by personal change, social media and technology.
The exhibition also generated media interest, with BBC News interviewing Joe about his journey from childhood doodling to developing a more personal and ambitious body of work.
Behind the scenes: Gander & White in London and Paris
While London dominated the October calendar, the international art world was equally busy across the Channel.
For Gander & White, whose specialist teams support the movement, installation and protection of artworks worldwide, the autumn fair season offered another reminder of the work required behind the scenes.
When Art Basel Paris closed two days earlier than planned amid concerns surrounding protests in the city, Gander & White's Paris team responded by de-installing and packing clients' artworks on Friday evening, preparing them for safe onward transport.
The episode offered a timely illustration of the adaptability required in international fine art logistics, a subject also explored in Gander & White's newly launched Pulse Check: Moving Masterpieces report.
For Cultural Comms, it was a busy few weeks supporting the people, organisations and ideas that make it all happen, both in the spotlight and behind the scenes.
Get in touch if you’d like to find out more: hello@culturalcomms.co.uk
