My cultural life Discover Will Ramsay, the founder of Affordable Art Fair’s inspirations
An arbiter of taste tells us what they’re reading, watching and more
AffordableArtFairfounderWillRamsayhasbeen on a mission to make art accessible to the masses since opening his gallery, Will’s Art Warehouse, in 1996. Following a stint in the British army, his determination to ‘demystify the idea of owning original art’ bore the idea for a vast exhibition that would connect emerging artists and gallerists withtheart-loving–butoftenintimidated–public. In the last 20 years, 13 more fairs have launched as far afield as Melbourne and Singapore, and the website introduced two years ago has so far seen growth double year-on-year. This month, it’s the turn of London’s Battersea, where it all began. From 17–20 October (affordableartfair.com). My all-time favourite piece of music is the 12-minute version of Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone ( 5) by The Temptations – not for the sentiment of the lyrics, but for the coolest orchestral composition of the 1970s. The book that has had the strongest influence on me is a biography of my grandfather, Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay ( who commanded the Dunkirk evacuation in the D-Day landings. It has inspired me to try and do something worthwhile with his genes… At the moment I’m reading The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben, which has helped me to appreciate their extraordinary longevity and magnificence. I love planting trees on my farm in Scotland. We are only passing through, and we must try to leave the world a better place. A quote that makes me think is ‘drawing is taking a line for a walk’ by artist Paul Klee, creator of Full Moon ( 3), because art can be peripatetic therapy for us all, as creators or viewers. At Affordable Art Fair we support charities that use art therapy, be it to help soldiers suffering from PTSD, children with learning difficulties or cancer sufferers.
My favourite gallery is Villa Borghese in Rome, for its fabulous Bernini sculptures. Another is theKunsthalleinHamburg( 1), wheremyfavourite piece is Caspar David Friedrich’s Wanderer Above the Sea of the Fog, which for me encapsulates Victorian optimism and entrepreneurialism.
I collect what I love, which is currently sculpture, photography and video art.
If I had a free day in London, I’d wander the streets of the East End. I love imagining the past through architecture; buildings tell amazing stories of Britain’s bygone eras. My favourite place in the world is Glen Lyon ( 4) in the Scottish Highlands. I feel free walking in the hills or fishing. I’m looking forward to the Affordable Art Fair turning 20 this October, and celebrating in style with all of the people who have made it special over the years.
‘ART CAN BE PERIPATETIC THERAPY
FOR US ALL, AS CREATORS AND VIEWERS’