Artists who came to live and work in Britain from all over the world during the 20th century and contributed significantly to its culture, are the subject of a wide-ranging exhibition at British Art Fair from 28 September to 1 October 2023 at Saatchi Gallery, London.

Titled Crossing Borders: Internationalism in Modern British Art, the exhibition is co-curated by art historian Monica Bohm-Duchen, founder of the Insider/Outsider Project and the art market columnist Colin Gleadell. The project began earlier this year when the curators put out a call for works to British Art Fair’s exhibiting galleries, who comprise many of the UK’s most established art dealers. The response was impressive with paintings, sculptures, photography, mixed-media works and drawings by immigrant artists of the 20th century submitted by over 30 galleries. While some of the selected artists are internationally famous, others had been previously overlooked.

Over fifty artists are included in Crossing Borders and the exhibition is divided into three sections: Part I, 20th Century British Jewish Artists features figures both familiar – David Bomberg, Mark Gertler, Lucian Freud and Frank Auerbach - and less familiar – such as Clara Klinghoffer, Peter Kinley and Henry Inlander. Part II, Immigration and Diversity in the Post-War British Art World, comprises work by twenty artists who arrived in the UK from India, Pakistan, Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Ghana, Sudan, Algeria, South Africa and the Caribbean, countries which had connections to Britain through their colonial histories. Artists featured in this section include Rasheed Araeen, Avinash Chandra, Tam Joseph, Houria Niati and Sidney Nolan. The final section of Crossing Borders, Going Global, looks beyond the first two sections to the diverse array of artists who arrived from as far afield as Taiwan and America. These artists consolidated Britain’s place in the truly global art ecosystem that, in the early 21st century, we take almost for granted. This section includes work by R B Kitaj, Liliane Lijn, Kim Lim and Richard Lin, among others.

All works are for sale.

British Art Fair Director, Will Ramsay, CEO Ramsay Fairs says: “Crossing Borders is an important exhibition for British Art Fair that sets out to reveal the internationalism and diversity in Modern British Art and its enduring impact on the work of the artist’s of today. We are pleased to have such prestigious curators working with us on the show alongside our exhibitors.”

Crossing Borders is a museum-style exhibition installed at Saatchi Gallery during British Art Fair open 28 September to 1 October. Monica Bohm-Duchen is giving a talk about the show on Friday 29 September at 4pm.

Entry to both the exhibition and the talk is included in the ticket price to British Art Fair.

British Art Fair

28 September – 1 October 2023

Saatchi Gallery, Duke of York HQ, King’s Road, London SW3 4RY

www.britishartfair.co.uk

Press Contact: Jessica Wood, jessica@britishartfair.co.uk

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