The usually yearly London Original Print Fair has triumphantly returned to Somerset House for a long weekend full to the brim of enchanting art for any eye.

With the usual boxes of the art world ticked – from Bridget Riley to Andy Warhol to Keith Haring to Salvador Dali (phew) – there was plenty of reasons to visit for pleasure or business, but the not so usual suspects offered a reason to stick around.

Speaking of which, Hanga Ten‘s gallery (in Japanese “Shop of Prints”), a leading specialist of contemporary Japanese prints, was buzzing as viewers absorbed the vivid colours of Hiromitsu Takahashi’s work.

The Truth in Black and White with Some Grey Areas by Phil Shaw (feature image) was one to ponder on for hours in the Rebecca Hossack Gallery’s bright and airy room.

Every inch of the East and West Wing of Somerset House was covered, with curators adapting the space for their wares. Hidden highlights included a special edition of Ralph Steadman’s Vintage Mr Gonzo (1995), signed by Steadman and Hunter S Thompson.

Not so hidden was Maite Cascon’s Trickster’s Tree, which split into 7 unique pieces to dominate a wall with multiple fascinating stories all centred on an old Spanish folk’s tale about a kidnapped Nun on The Way of St James. This independent artist offered a personal touch in a fair full of knowledgeable but slightly intimidating curators.

Contemporary gallery, Jealous, had the pleasure of presenting Chris Levine’s work marking the Platinum Jubilee with a platinum leaf portrait of the lady herself. It was, ironically, the edgiest room at the centre of the Fair.

With 48 exhibitors across and thousands of artists represented, the intimidation somehow remained slight. Instead it was a thrill to see a fair of this magnitude flourishing in our post-pandemic (sort of) city. It felt accessible to those who want reacquaint themselves with what’s heating up the walls of the world’s art lovers, rather than overwhelmingly sales-driven. A classy approach from a professional bunch.

Returning in 2023, the London Original Print Fair is as classic and proud as the venue it occupies, with plenty of reasons to return in 2023 and the years after.