The London Original Print Fair 2011

Royal Academy of Arts

19-21 April 2011

Gavin Turk to give Printmaking Lecture at The London Original Print Fair

The London Original Print Fair will present a Printmaking Lecture as part of the 26th Print Fair. ‘Talking Turk’ will feature artist Gavin Turk in conversation with art critic Louisa Buck on Tuesday 19 April 2011. The lecture will be held in the John Madejski Fine Rooms at the Royal Academy of Arts.

Turk, whose work has always dealt with issues of democracy and authorship in art, has increased his printmaking output in recent times. As well as generating his own editions, he has commissioned a print portfolio “The House of Fairytales Print Portfolio” from a group of leading British artists. He will discuss methods and importance of printmaking in his work and release a new print made exclusively for the Fair.

The longest-running specialist print fair in the world, the London Original Print Fair had only sixteen exhibitors when it launched in 1985. For the 2011 event there will be over fifty exhibitors.

Works on sale range from as little as £100 to over £100,000, from etchings by Canaletto and engravings by Hogarth, to the works of established contemporary artists such as Peter Blake and David Hockney. Over the years printmaking has become central to the work of leading contemporary artists, such as Richard Hamilton, Marc Quinn and Gary Hume. Meanwhile, prints from the Royal Academy Schools and the Royal College of Art will offer an opportunity to buy work by emerging artists.

For the first time in its history the Fair is delighted to host the Royal Academy Schools, who will showcase the latest work from the print department. Eileen Cooper RA, Head of Printmaking, says: “Over the past two years we have been inviting artists, some of whom are Royal Academicians, to work with us to produce high-quality prints. They come to our print workshops and work side by side with our students to produce a wide variety of limited edition prints, some of which will be exhibited at 2011’s Fair. These co-publications help raise funds to support students.”

Exhibitors who have shown since the Fair began include: Christopher Mendez (Old Master) and Andrew Edmunds, London’s leading specialist in caricature prints, Picasso expert Frederick Mulder, (Old Masters and Modern), William Weston (Modern French), Gordon Samuel of Osborne Samuel and Hilary Gerrish (Modern British).

Helen Rosslyn, Fair Organiser says: “One of the joys of this Print Fair is that it embraces art of all periods. Many visitors comment on the excitement of coming to see contemporary prints and discovering a seventeenth century etching for just a few hundred pounds on the next-door stand. We have chosen this year’s Fair image (A detail from Grayson Perry’s ‘Map of Nowhere’) in recognition of the importance of old master prints to some of today’s finest printmakers”.

‘The Fair has really helped to bring more awareness to printmaking and its importance in the working lives of artists such as Ana Maria Pacheco,’ says Susan Pratt of Pratt Contemporary.

Falling this year during the week preceding Easter, the Fair has organised an exciting programme of talks, demonstrations and children’s workshops, made possible by the generous support of Towry, the Wealth Advisers. Andrew Fisher, CEO of Towry says: ‘We are delighted to become associated with this event and share their ambition to bring art alive, by explaining what prints are, demonstrating how they are made and encouraging children to make their own”. The programme will include a print demonstration by artist Tom Hammick (past winner of the RA Summer Exhibition Printmaking Prize), guided tours by venerable printmaker Norman Ackroyd and a Young Collectors’ Evening with tour by artist Adam Bridgland and TAG Fine Arts.

The full list of the exhibitors and an events programme will be released in the lead up to the Fair.

Listings information:

The London Original Print Fair 2011

Main Galleries, Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1

Fair Opening Hours:

Tuesday and Wednesday 10am – 9pm

Thursday 10am – 6pm

Fair Admissions:

Ticket £10 inc. catalogue

Concessions £7 inc. catalogue

Free to Friends of the RA

Catalogue £7

Catalogue for friends & corporate £5

For further press information please contact Alice at Theresa Simon & Partners

+44 (0) 20 7734 4800

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