Art3F: Accessibility, Diversity And Art!

On the 26th of January, the international contemporary art fair Art3F returned to the French capital for the 12th time. The three-day fair took place in the luminous exhibition hall of Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, a location that has been hosting the Parisian edition of the fair since 2016. 

The art market often appears exclusive from an outsider’s perspective, even to art lovers. If you have ever walked in the aisles of an art fair, feeling dizzy from the artwork prices, overwhelmed by the conversations of people around you who all seem to know what they are talking about, then Art3F offers a refreshing change! 

Different from many international art fairs that cater to high-end collectors, Art3F holds its emphasis on accessible and affordable art. It promotes artworks that show “the search for beauty, living art, the intelligence of the hand, emotion and aesthetics”. Art3F is an inclusive platform that provides a valuable opportunity for emerging artists and individual creators. At the same time, it gives its visitors, both professionals and amateurs, a chance to admire the artworks, engage in conversations with artists, and eventually bring home their “coup de coeur” .

The Art3F fair first opened its gate in 2014 at the Park of Exhibitions in Mulhouse, the second largest city of the Alsatian region. With first success in Mulhouse, the fair quickly expanded to major French cities like Nantes, Lyon, and Paris, and later to European cities such as Barcelona, Luxembourg, Brussels, and Monaco. Now hosting over 20 art fairs annually, Art3F's diverse locations offer artists unique opportunities to reach new and varied markets.

Apart from geographical locations, the diversity extends to fair’s participants. This year, more than 200 booths were set up in the hall of Paris Expo Porte de Versaille, presenting to the public artists and artworks from all over the world. One of the highlights of the fair was Elena’s live painting performance on the first day of the fair. The Paris-based artist is represented by Artema, an organization that specialises in franco-japanese cultural events. Her works recreate the classical paintings of Japanese masters with her signature cartoon characters. Georgian artist Eka Peradze's series of paintings Freedom People, known for its distinctive tiny figures, has equally received much attention from the visitors. 

The individual booths at Art3F made the visit unique. Filled with creativity and personality, they break out from the classic white cube format to embody the values cherished by the artists. The individual booth of the French artist David Ferreira, standing right in front of the entrance, catches visitors' attention as soon as they step into the venue. Known for his artistic character Toto, Ferreira has held exhibitions in cities around the world including New York, London, Stockholm, and Paris. His booth is a world of festivity, bright colors, and wild drawings with a touch of naivety but at the same time well planned - a world of Toto that invites visitors to join the adventure back to their childhood.

Another impressive individual booth was that of the  sculptor and designer Philippe Bray. There I found sculptures, at the same time chairs, carved out from whole tree trunks. This idea came from a dream in which the artist found himself inside the hollow of a tree. By using the cedars that were at the end of their life, this project gives these majestic tree trunks a second life. The sculptures are welcoming you to sit inside and embracing you with their smell and the echo of their vibration. They are not there only to be seen, but also to be felt, smelled, and heard, as the artist described it.

Apart from individual booths,the galleries participating in the fair were equally rich in what they had to offer. The Madrid-based gallery MONAT, aiming at fostering rising talents, presented a large number of artists from diverse nationalities. Australian artist Jeremy Bianco, creates black-and-white portrait paintings inspired by the Golden Age of Cinema and the photographs of Peter Lindbergh. Meanwhile, New York based artist Lynn Newman uses geometrical elements and multiple media to depict a search for balance that is both serene and dynamic. 

The booth of BI.Art Paris exhibited twelve emerging international artists whose works incorporate their individual experience, identity, and culture. The Chinese artist Xiaoyu Qiu attracted significant attention with his painting titled “Si près du ciel” featuring actor Jin Xuan Mao from “Emily in Paris”. Using art as an emotional outlet and as a form of meditation, Qiu’s art delves into his personal dream, trauma, and desire. Also present at this booth were the works of Jerusalem-based Palestinian artist Shiraz Khattab,  which explores the intersections of collective memories and individual emotions. Another attractive piece was the work of Kiyoko. With a recurring theme of rabbit, her works combine the traditional Japanese ceramic technology Kiyomizu-yaki with the European-styled frame, creating an attractive and mysterious mix of the two cultures and various materials.

The visit to Art3F felt like an adventure in which I was constantly surprised by what the creativity of the artists has to offer. Aiming to  promote art that is accessible, affordable, and of high quality, this year’s Art3F Paris was undoubtedly a success. The venue, on that sunny weekend in January, was filled with art enthusiasts. Elderly couples, parents with small children, and art lovers just like you and I were all immersed in the excitement of discovering their own hidden gems.