World’s Largest Urban Art Fair Commissions Murals Across the Streets of East London

Moniker Art Fair, now the world’s largest urban art fair having tripled in size since last year, was originally founded as a satellite hub to Frieze in the East End. The fair’s new series of initiatives seek to make art fairs and the art world more accessible to those who have, until now, been intimidated by the scene, while also encouraging first-time art collectors.

Their 2017 programme features over 100 international artists from six continents, but also gives room to local London artists and young collectors. This year, Moniker re-embraces its location and connection with the diverse local community by commissioning artists to take to the streets surrounding the fair, creating new public murals for the local community.

Public murals will be created across the week leading up to the event and over the weekend itself, by acclaimed urban artists Dulk (Spain), Telmo Miel (Netherlands) whatisadam (Canada) and Ben Slow (London), leaving unique pieces of art on the streets while also exhibiting their works within the fair itself.

Additionally, in partnership with Innova Art and PrintPost, Moniker will be giving away 500 limited-edition, hand-customised and signed prints by London artist Mr Frivolous, a British-born illustrator already making waves in multiple exhibitions across America. These prints, which celebrate the vibrant community in and around the heart of London’s East End, will be gifted to members of the public from postcodes local to The Old Truman Brewery.

Fair Director of Moniker Art Fair, Tina Ziegler, comments, The unprecedented growth of the fair is proof that huge numbers of the public are ready to engage with art if they’re given the opportunity and encouragement. As we approach London’s Art Week, there’s certainly a sense that some sectors of the art world are for the most part only accessible to those with higher salaries, whereas Moniker continues to challenge how we can capture the interest of the public whether that be through our outdoor mural program, or by gifting artwork to members of the community who live close to the fair. At even a basic level, tickets to Moniker start at £8, so it’s effectively cheaper to come and find out about urban art for the day than it is to go to the cinema in London. As it happens, we are even launching a film programme. The strong international influence on the fair has been a prime reason for its popularity, a sign that the art-loving public are as inclusive and globally-minded as ever. The urban art community is incredibly diverse, and our yearly growth has proven that if anything collectors want more from other cultures. They want to understand the contemporary and urban art scenes, they want to see the messages finding their way onto walls in cities different to their own.

xxx

Dates:                                Thursday 5th – Sunday 8th October 2017

Location:                          The Old Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane, London E1 6QL

Website:                           https://www.monikerartfair.com/