Oxford Town Hall, 24th to 26th February 2017

09 February 2017:  It's been widely reported that the art market today is on the rise again, having emerged from a turbulent 12 months. Sotheby's benchmark figures from 2016 show a total of $4.1 billion auction sales, slightly down on 2015, but every indication is that 2017 is set to be a promising year.

With key works like Edvard Munch's 'Girls on the Bridge' selling for $54.5 million at Sotheby's New York in November, real business is being done.  There is a feeling of optimism and now could be just the moment to buy art, whether you are looking for a piece to decorate your home or interested in art as an investment.

Visiting an art fair, like the Oxford International Art Fair which takes place later this month in the city, can be a great way of finding out what's available on the market and buying wisely.  Art fairs bring together a large selection of artworks of different styles and media from a variety of artists under one roof, with scope to look round, talk to the artists and take your time before buying.

With over 120 UK and international artists taking part in this year's free-to-attend Oxford International Art Fair over the weekend of 24th to 26th February 2017, there will be ample opportunity to see work from up and coming artists as well as more established names.

Leila Kanso -  Canadian Lebanese, living thirty six years oversees, achieving twelve years of intensive individual art formation with prominent masters. Riejanne Boeschoten - Netherlands. The extraordinary of ordinary things: that is what inspires Boeschoten. She paints her subjects mega large and ultra precise, making their overwhelming beauty touch you unexpectedly. Mujeeb Kehar (Gabriela) - UAE. Kehar’s inspiration and believes come from PEACE. Creating contemporary sign of “Peace is always beautiful”.

Exciting new work from young Barcelona-based artist Soph Pepolo (www.pepoloart.com), who employs artistic techniques such as watercolour and ink to recall impromptu scenes of daily life alongside deeper, philosophical soul-searching pieces, will be on show.  Photographer / artist Dagur Jonsson (www.dagurjonssonphotography.com) will also be presenting his haunting photographs of Icelandic landscapes that capture the beauty of isolation and being alone in nature.

With high profile pieces such as an original Damien Hirst on show from the London-based InVogue Art Gallery, there is ample opportunity to see perhaps one of the most varied collections of contemporary art, with the chance to buy original pieces directly from the artist.  

All the artists chosen to attend the Oxford International Art Fair have been carefully selected by a team of Curators under the lead of award-winning art entrepreneur Joelle Dinnage, who through The Global Art Agency runs a series of large-scale international art fairs around the world with her business partner Natal Vallvé.  Only this week Ms Dinnage was nominated for three categories in the prestigious Venus Awards 2017, for Female Entrepreneur, Inspirational Woman and Business Mother.

About this year's Oxford event, Joelle says:  "We're expecting the art fair to be a highlight event in the calendar with a real buzz that captures the excitement in the industry at the moment, with so much vibrant new work emerging.

"Business is brisk and we'll be joined by some of the most prominent emerging contemporary artists who are travelling from as far as Kenya, Australia and the USA to show their work.  There will be so much to inspire as well as to buy, whether your liking is for paintings, photographs, jewellery or sculpture.  You can even help nominate the best artists taking part in the fair, by voting over the weekend in the Oxford International Awards 2017," she says.  "Simply vote on your 'phone during your visit and follow the action live on and ."

The art fair starts on Friday 24th February at 6pm with a special private view and vernissage attended by selected artists.  Tickets, which include a glass of Catalan Cava and live jazz, cost £10 and can be booked at https://oxfordinternationalartfair.com/vernissage/.

Entry to the rest of the fair is free and tickets can be pre-booked by going to oxfordinternationalartfair.com/tickets.

The Oxford International Art Fair 2017 takes place at Oxford Town Hall, St Aldate's, Oxford, OX1 1BX, from Friday 24th to Sunday 26th February 2017, from 11am to 6pm.  For more information please go to https://oxfordinternationalartfair.com/

ENDS

Press contacts:

Sarah Pracey 07985 112 777 /

or

Joëlle Dinnage (Oxford based) 07825 443925

[email protected] / [email protected]

www.joelledinnage.com