The well-known darlings of the Young British Artist (YBA) scene are lined up to sell their wares from the back of a car this Sunday. For the 2007 Vauxhall Art Car Boot Fair, previous stall holders and YBAs Gavin Turk, Bob and Roberta Smith, Tracey Emin, Fiona Banner, Cedric Christie and Abigail Lane are back again to sell affordable and collectable artworks in this peculiarly English impromptu market style, on the grounds of the Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane. Live music, performances, a beach, a barbecue and a bunch of cocktails are included in the price of entry - and as long as the rain holds off, you could find yourself queuing for a hot dog with one of the Chapman brothers.
Sarah Lucas made a set of unique mugs to sell at last year's event and sold each one for £20.00 in under an hour. Sir Peter Blake's wife went along on impulse and sold a box of her husband's prints at £10.00 each and went home with a tidy £600.00. That means a good number of canny shoppers went home with original artworks without stepping foot in an auction house or gallery. There will be over 60 artists taking part this Sunday, selling artworks either specially made for the event or from their collections - though prices are bound to be slightly higher than the usual 50p for a chipped plate of the standard car boot fair, we reckon the mark-up on a Gavin Turk second-hand sleeping bag is worth it.
However, be wary of what Tracey Emin brings; judging by the state of her unmade bed, you may want to steer clear of anything she tries to get rid of, quite literally dirt cheap, in a car park. If anyone picks up a value for money Antony Gormley figurine, get in touch, we'll want to see it.
Vauxhall Art Car Boot Fair, Sunday 8 July at the Old Truman Brewery on Brick Lane. Hours are from 12pm to 6pm and entry is £2.00. For more information, go to the Vauxhall Art Car Boot Fair website here.
