The Affordable Art Fair Comes to New York City

I’d hardly call $10,000 an affordable amount to spend on a piece of artwork, but then again “affordable” is a relative term. For anyone serious about starting, or adding to their existing art collection, The Affordable Art Fair is a worthwhile stop. The fair takes place annually in Amsterdam, Bristol, Brussels, London (spring and fall), Melbourne, Milan, North London, Singapore, Sydney, and New York (spring and fall) with May 5 marking the kick-off for the NYC spring event.

I first learned of the fair from fashion icon Diane Pernet’s blog in 2009 and have been going every year since. Prices range from $100 to $10,000, with three-quarters of the works under $5,000. Though most of the art on display at the 10th annual spring edition of the event isn’t in my personal budget, it’s always a treat to meander around the sprawling midtown space. 75 international and national galleries have set up shop and often times the owners and artists are on hand to discuss their work. This season, paintings, sculptures, photographs, and works on paper were showcased and ranged from ceramic and glass handbags, to human wire figures clinging to a wall, and random objects fashioned out of pipe cleaners.

While I didn’t end up finding anything worth buying (in a previous year I invested in some ice cream art), I was particularly impressed with Art x Women, a dedicated section consisting of nine galleries offering only work by women artists. Tying into that, in celebration of Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 8, Moms accompanied by a child will be admitted to the fair free of charge and they will also receive a gift bag.

The fair takes place at 7 West 34th Street and runs through Sunday. General admission is $20. Learn more about featured galleries, artists, and hours of operation here.