With pre Jubilee fever mounting, and a plethora of red, white and blue adorning the streets, shop windows, the buses, tubes, kids, the majority of edible goods in Selfridges, it’s fair to say that Britain is in a rare state of bliss. Add to the mix an unprecedented stretch of glorious Mediterranean sunshine, and Olympic excitement as the torch relay tracks its way around Britain – and you’re edging on patriotic euphoria.
A timely moment therefore, for the Bloomsbury Art Fair to return to the public gaze, once again championing the “heroic”; namely those who have suffered a catastrophic injury, and who return to live their lives with flair, inspiration and positivity.
Working on the Bloomsbury Art Fair at Muse for a second year in a row, has been an inspiring experience. We’re all well aware of the pretty incredible “Blade Runner” Oscar Pistorius who has overcome a controversial battle to be allowed to compete with able-bodied athletes, as well as other Paralympic figures such as “Tanni” Grey Thompson – now a parliamentarian and TV presenter, but what about the numerous people not in the public sphere who have overcome, or are overcoming some sort of adversity in their life – with a bit of verve.
Working with the Bloomsbury Art Fair is like being plunged into a melting pot of people with “spirit”, an abundance of great art, a festival-ly tent for the rockers, and an inclusivity that simply is not replicated at other art fairs. This year – they are calling themselves “The Art Fair for people who hate art fairs” – which has been a cause of fascination for a lot of our press contacts. The Fair presents a novel story, an embracive atmosphere bordering on plain fun, not forgetting the cutting edge contemporary and affordable art that forms the heartbeat.
Highlights this year include Paul the Robot which can perform on-the-spot portraits, crossing the boundaries of art and science, as well as the second time exhibitor Sophie Morgan, who discovered her immeasurable artistic talent after becoming paralysed at the age of 18 in a car accident. Oh yeah – and she also models, presents, and develops pioneering mannequins for disabled people who are not represented on the high street.
Pretty inspiring if you ask me.
Hot London, by Si Elborne
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