British Art Fair Returns to Saatchi with a Sweeping 2025 Edition
The British Art Fair returns to London this September with an expanded and ambitious programme spanning postwar painting, contemporary digital work, and overlooked gems from the modern canon.
Running from 25–28 September at Saatchi Gallery, the fair — now in its 37th year — brings together over 60 dealers and artists under one roof, offering collectors and audiences a broad yet considered survey of British art across generations and mediums.
SOLO CONTEMPORARY
Highlights this year include SOLO Contemporary, a curated platform that spotlights exceptional emerging talent. Among the standouts is Barry Yusufu, a Nigerian artist whose richly textured portraits evoke religious iconography and Renaissance composition. Yusufu’s work — shown here in partnership with 99 Loop Gallery and curator Virginia Damtsa — explores themes of memory, Black identity, and spiritual elevation. Already celebrated across Africa, Yusufu is now gaining traction in Europe, and his new series Where We Left Love may well mark a breakout moment in the UK.
Also featured in SOLO is a new silkscreen print by the late David Spiller, whose exuberant fusion of pop imagery and handwritten lyricism has long held popular appeal. Born to Be Wild, created shortly before the artist’s death, reflects Spiller’s enduring commitment to accessibility in art — the edition is signed and embossed by his estate.
Also featured is British artist Ru Knox, whose new body of work, presented by Guerin Projects’ founder Marie-Claudine Llamas, explores the grace and discipline of ballet dancers through a contemporary lens. With a formal structure rooted in his academic training — having studied under Charles Cecil in Florence and completed an MA in Fine Art at City and Guilds London Art School — Knox’s work blends traditional techniques with modern sensibilities. His paintings, influenced by both Kandinsky’s Concerning the Spiritual in Art and Degas’ iconic depictions of ballet, reflect a deep understanding of movement, history, and emotional vulnerability.
DIGITALISM
Perhaps the most notable development in the fair’s programming is Digitalism, a full-scale section dedicated to digital and AI-based art. Launched last year to wide acclaim, the platform returns in 2025 with 22 stands and over 60 artists working across AI, augmented and virtual reality, robotics, and immersive moving image. Artists include Aether Elf, whose AI-generated fantasy ecosystems reflect lived experiences of disability, and Marco Conti Šikić, the architect-turned-artist whose work merges classical painting with generative code.
The section, curated by Rebekah Tolley, aims to establish a new critical framework for what it calls “a new ‘ism’ in the story of art,” while paying homage to early pioneers such as the Quantel Paintbox artists of the 1980s. Their work, once radically futuristic, now sits at the foundations of today’s digital art discourse.
Images L-R: d.memo, Cem Hasimi; Cristina Schek, Bubbles the Fish, 2025, Archival Pigment Print, Digitalism Edition of 5; Julien Durand (MJM), Fading into Dust, 2025, Digital
Among the standout artists featured in Digitalism this year is the legendary VitaliV, a pioneering figure in the digital art world. Born in Odessa in 1957, VitaliV’s innovative approach to art is defined by his unique style, Schematism, which blends the precision of architectural design with the emotional depth of art. His works, showcased by MA Gallery, are a masterclass in the fusion of classical painting techniques and cutting-edge digital media. Over the years, VitaliV has influenced the digital art landscape with his multimedia projects, including large-scale video installations and conceptual exhibitions. This year, he introduces a new series exploring the intersection of technology, abstraction, and human emotion, which continues to push the boundaries of digital creativity.
UNSUNG
Elsewhere in the building, a quieter — but no less significant — exhibition is underway. Titled Unsung, and curated by art market journalist Colin Gleadell, the special exhibition seeks to reinsert under-recognised Modern British artists into the historical conversation. Over 30 names appear, ranging from William Johnstone, whose drip paintings predated Pollock, to Jean Cooke, whose career was long overshadowed by her husband John Bratby.
The reasons for these omissions are explored directly — whether due to teaching careers (Antony Eyton), geographical isolation (Leslie Moore), gender bias (Catherine Yarrow, Kathleen Guthrie), or unfashionable politics (Peter de Francia). Even Graham Sutherland, once considered more significant than Francis Bacon, is included — a reminder of how quickly reputations can shift.
HOSPITAL ROOMS
Alongside the commercial galleries, the fair also partners with mental health charity Hospital Rooms, which will install a calm, immersive lounge designed by artists, and sell limited edition prints by Sutapa Biswas to support their programme in psychiatric hospitals.
While some fairs pivot toward spectacle, British Art Fair remains a steady, if evolving, reflection of its subject. This year’s edition feels both expansive and sharply focused — an event interested not just in selling art, but in contextualising and challenging how British art is seen and remembered.
Featured image: Ivon Hitchens, Four Depths, 1970, signed and dated; signed and dated verso, oil on canvas, 46.4 x 143.5 cm. Artwork courtesy of Jenna Burlingham Gallery
British Art Fair 2025
Modern and Contemporary British Art
Saatchi Gallery, Duke of York’s HQ, King’s Road, London SW3 4RY
25 – 28 September 2025
Highlights
- SOLO Contemporary: Rising talent including Barry Yusufu (Nigeria) and new silkscreen editions by David Spiller.
- Digitalism: A dedicated section for digital, AI and immersive art featuring over 60 artists, curated by Rebekah Tolley.
- Unsung: Curated by Colin Gleadell, this special exhibition reappraises 30 overlooked Modern British artists including Jean Cooke, William Johnstone and Denton Welch.
- Hospital Rooms Lounge: Immersive space and print sale supporting mental health in clinical settings.
Tickets: Available via britishartfair.co.uk
More info: @britishartfair | #BritishArtFair2025
Elena Leo is the Arts & Lifestyle Editor of Ikon London Magazine.
