Galleries - October 2012

recent graduates – and, again covers a huge range of art forms, all usually to a high standard. 85 Years On Founded in the King’s Road in 1927 when Chelsea still was London’s arty epicentre, the artists’ materials and picture framing specialist Green & Stone has survived all the huge social changes that have seen the area transformed, not only intact but distinctly thriving and with a glitzy customer list. Over the years, this has ranged from Francis Bacon to Damien Hirst via Prince Charles and Kate Middleton (as was) to Bill Wyman and Margaret Thatcher. To celebrate its 85th Birthday it is staging an online Charity auction of artworks donated by 85artists – a distinguished affair scattered with RAs, celebs et al. The auction runs from 16 to 26 October with works viewable both via their website or at the Gallery, 10a Blandford Street; funds raised go to four charities, the Artists’ General Benevolent and Save the Children among them . . . Prize Fest A rich and heady brew of prizes and awards, both great and small, this month. First is ‘The Threadneedle Art Prize’ at the Mall Galleries (to 15 October), with a total pot of £40,000 (£30,000 First, plus a £10,000 Visitor Prize), making it one of the richest in the country. With an entry triple that of last year the quality is higher than ever, while the emphasis that it places on figuratively-accented art has provided an important focal point for both painters and sculptors to produce strikingly rich and dynamic work – 144 in all on show. As we go to press only the seven short-listed artists are known (see image) – the two big prize winners will be announced on 10 October. Meanwhile there is the 2012 version of the excellent ‘Young Masters Art Prize’ and exhibition, organised by Cynthia Corbett , Part 1 at the Sphinx Gallery (9 to 26 October) with Part 2 at 27 Cork Street in November. Then there is the OBA (Oldies British Artists) Award, launched this year by The Oldie magazine and chaired by Maggi Hambling, at St Mary-le-Bow Church from 8 to 12 October. Philip Athill of Abbott & Holder is another of the judges and the winner of the £5,000 First Prize is offered (given that a substantial body of work is available) an exhibition at his gallery. Lastly, we must draw attention to this year's winner of the Galleries prize at September’s Mall Galleries' 'Bite' print exhibition: Gillian Thompson, whose four colour drypoint etching Wired is illustrated here. ANTENNAE 10. GALLERIES OCTOBER 12 Not the Frieze Given the hype, it may come as a surprise to learn that there are more (and to my mind quite as interesting) art fairs in London this month and early next, than just the Regent's Park hooley. All of them, too, show art generally rather more within the price range of most British collectors. The oldest (14 years) is of course the Affordable Art Fair , back for its annual autumn double bill – Battersea Park from 25 to 28 October and then Hampstead Heath from 1 to 4 November. For more details and to see what some of the galleries will show, turn to our pictorial feature on p38. The Candid Arts Trust’s Islington Contemporary Art & Design Fair is held in their handsome ex-warehouse behind Angel tube station. With a key plank of the Trust's programme to support work by new and emerging artists and designers this Fair, four separate shows dedicated to different art forms each weekend through October, is a must for those wanting to get to know (and buy into) the extraordinary talent nurtured by our art schools. Finally head to South West London on the weekend of 13/14 October to catch the Landmark Autumn Art Fair . Held in the spectacular Victorian Gothic church that houses the Landmark Arts Trust, this fair is aimed very much at individual artists and crafts people – some From left: G illian Thompson ‘Wired’ (see above) B en Greener ‘My Feet’ The Threadneedle Art Prize at the Mall Galleries. Piers Ottey ‘Formal Frank’ at Highgate Contemporary