Time is flying by and Christmas is almost upon us again. The festive period means celebrations, spending time with our loved ones, and of course presents. And so the hunt begins: some like to get functional gifts, others prefer something original, a gift that takes the recipient by surprise. And what could widen eyes more than a beautiful work of art? Art is a unique and personal gift, for both art-lovers and burgeoning collectors alike.

If you’re looking for some arty inspiration, we’ve asked some of our expert galleries for their recommendations, including Patsy Dixon, director of London’s Liberty Gallery, and regular exhibitor at the Milan fair, Chiara Pozzi, founder of Illustrazioni Seriali gallery, which Chiara describes as “a place of research and joy, dedicated to the most disparate forms of artistic illustration”, Agnese Bonanno, one of the brains behind Kooness, an innovative digital platform designed to help purchasing contemporary artworks online, and Riccardo Sorani, founder and director of Milanese Esh Gallery. Each passionate gallerist has given us their seasonal gifting recommendations, selecting from the wide range of works you’ll find at this year’s Affordable Art Fair Milano (7 – 9 February, Superstudio Più).

Read on to discover the works that inspired Patsy, Chiara, Agnese and Riccardo, while at the same time, getting a sneak peek at just some of the artists’ works that will be exhibited at the fair in February. And should their selections pique your interest, why not snap up a ticket to the fair to take advantage of the Personal Art Shopping Sessions, Opening night event, Stroller Hour and so much more…

CHRISTMAS INSPIRATION, MILANO

PATSY, LIBERTY GALLERY

Detox is a journey of self-discovery; questioning the participatory, fast paced, performative world we live in right now, overloaded with information and ideas of exceptionalism, where it is easier to be lost in the stream than to be your own person. Each painting in this series of ‘existential smoothies of reality’ by Marcelina Amelia offers a different emotional state, an identity crisis and in Detox there’s a wonderful letting go and feeling of calmness, her painterly strokes creating a soothing and massaging quality. I’d buy this for my wonderful niece Kathy who is a working Mother of 3 children and has the most amazing organisational skills in balancing life and keeping all the balls in the air. I’d like it to give her a sense of self and calmness and personal time in her life. And to let her know she’s just brilliant at all she does.

CHIARA, ILLUSTRAZIONI SERIALI

Elisa Macellari’s original and colourful panels are the perfect gift for friends preparing for the arrival of their first child. I particularly like Momotaro, which depicts a wonderful Japanese fairytale, telling the story of a determined and generous child who, thanks to his strength and love for his parents, manages to defeat his enemies in the village. A simple fairytale rich in metaphors and hidden meanings which is sure to inspire and excite even the youngest art-lover!

AGNESE, KOONESS

I’ve selected Synthesis 2 by Evita Andújar, a Spanish artist born in 1974. In her oil paintings, she creates unique introspective representations which tell the story of everyday intimacy, humanity and fragility. Using a soft and delicate colour palette, the artist creates a quiet, contemplative and exquisitely feminine atmosphere. This work is just the kind of Christmas gift I would like to get for my sister, who is a young playwright, and is in a permanent state of deep introspection.

RICCARDO, ESH GALLERY

I would gift this fluid and dreamlike work, created by artist by Su Xianzhong, to those that want to change their lives but have never had the courage. Admiring it day after day, I hope they might find the strength to realise their dream, whatever it might be… creating a more satisfying job, visiting a far-off land, or even just simply to tell the person they love, how they feel. I think the fluidity to the figure in this piece is there to give us the confidence we need to make more courageous choices.

Huge thanks to Patsy, Chiara, Agnese and Riccardo for their art selections. We can’t wait to open the doors to this year’s Affordable Art Fair Milano (7 – 9 February, Superstudio Più) where you’ll be able to see all of these beautiful works and 1000s more under one roof. Buy your ticket in advance and join us at the fair for art, interactive activities, delicious food and drink and more.

Main image:
Elisa Macellari, Momotaro

Images, from first to last:
Marcelina Amelia, Detox, 2019, mixed-media, H 84 cm x W 69 cm, Liberty Gallery
Elisa Macellari, Momotaro
Evita Andujar, Synthesis 2, oil on canvas, H 80 cm x W 90 cm
Su Xianzhong, Landscape 1, Blanc de Chine porcelain, H 32 cm x W 55 cm x D 20 cm