LONDON.- The 31st London Original Print Fair ran at the RA from 5-8 May, with exhibitors reporting good sales across all periods, and high numbers of engaged and intelligent collectors from across the globe. The Fair drew a vibrant and positive crowd with record numbers of visitors on the Friday and an exceptional audience for the events programme.

Sales
Significant sales were made of modern masters including works by Picasso, Miró, Matisse, Hockney and Riley, with many dealers selling to new clients. Exhibitors who chose to use the Fair to launch newly published prints found a very receptive audience for series by: Anthony Frost RA at Advanced Graphics; Tom Hammick at Flowers; Michael Craig-Martin RA at Alan Cristea; Marcus Harvey at Shapero Fine Art and Hugo Wilson at Pratt Contemporary. Old Master dealers also reported good sales with Eames Fine Art selling the majority of their set of first edition of Goya’s Los Caprichos, Andrew Edmunds an important self portrait by Thomas Frye and Christopher Mendez selling his largest print within the last ten minutes of the Fair. C.G.Boerner were delighted to find new British buyers for old master prints.

Award Winner
The winner of the inaugural Ecclesiastical Original Print Award, The Atkinson Southport, bought a portfolio of 12 etchings by Rachael Whiteread. The set was bought from Paragon Press, the publishing house of Charles Booth-Clibborn who has played a key role in printmaking in the UK. Charles said “Ecclesiastical in partnership with LOPF have been very generous in providing a regional museum with the opportunity to add prints to their collection. This is a great initiative which not only helps to promote the medium of print but also enables the purchase of important works by regional museums in the UK”.

The portfolio will be central to the Atkinson’s forthcoming exhibition, First Ladies: Pioneering Female Artists which opens in June.

New Ventures Launched at LOPF 2016
The 2016 Fair launched two new initiatives: Lyndsey Ingram and Worton Hall.

Lyndsey Ingram launched her new business at the Fair with a striking stand and exceptional sales, including works by Ellsworth Kelly, Harland Miller, Grayson Perry RA and David Hockney RA. Lyndsey said of the Fair: “There was a great buzz throughout the four days and it felt that there were a lot of serious clients, looking and buying. I was so pleased with the reaction I had to my new venture and encouraged by the strong sales.”

Worton Hall brings together Coriander Studios, The Curwen Studio and Huguenot Editions under the management of CCA in a fine art and printmaking complex. Alongside silkscreen, (digital) printing, lithographic, lenticular and etching, Worton exhibited newly published work by Sir Peter Blake RA.

International Reach
LOPF 2016 further established the Fair’s standing on the international art scene; curators and collectors from across the globe were present. International exhibitors who regard the Fair as the most important specialist event of its kind in Europe reported good sales. They included Dreipunkt Edition, Germany; Durham Press USA; Gallery Jin Tokyo; A & D Martinez and Lelong Editions from Paris, Art Editions-Fils, Germany and Kunstverket Galleri, Norway.

Talks and Event highlights
The Talks and Events programme celebrated the strong working relationship with the RA with a number of talks by leading Royal Academicians. Talks by Tess Jaray RA, Yinka Shonibare MBE RA, Chris Orr RA and Michael Craig-Martin RA were extremely well received. Christopher Le Brun PRA chaired the judging panel for the Ecclesiastical Award and co-hosted the annual LOPF Dinner in the Fine Rooms at the opening reception.