LONDON.- Highlights from the 43rd edition of Olympia International Art & Antiques Fair - the UK’s oldest fair-were announced today. The fair is running 18-28 June to coincide with a host of important cultural events in London, resulting in the strongest line-up of exhibitors for some time. A number of important dealers are returning to the fair including Anthony Fell, Joanna Booth, Isaac and Ede, Anthony James & Sons, and Woodham-Smith Ltd. Olympia also announced the return of HALI after an interval of almost 10 years, bringing together internationally-renowned dealers selling the best antique carpets and textiles.

This year’s loan exhibition offers a unique opportunity for British audiences to discover works from American philanthropists, Dr. Jeanne and Rex Sinquefield’s remarkable private collection. This is the first time that these paintings have been seen outside America. The works are from the Great Depression ‘dust bowl years’ – the great era of austerity, making them newly relevant for a contemporary audience. The great artists of the American Midwest include Thomas Hart Benton, Joe Jones, Grant Wood, John Rogers Cox, John Atherton, John Steuart Curry and George Joe Mess.

Olympia’s fantastic line-up will include Austin Desmond, Craig Carrington, Gilden’s Art Gallery and Howard Walwyn, and also introduces new exhibitors Miles Davis-Kielar, Peter Pittmann Fossilien, James Hyman, Galerie Ary Jan and Rebecca Hossack.

Following on from the success of last year’s talks programme, this year’s speakers are curators from world-leading institutions such as The V&A Museum, The British Museum, and The Ashmolean Museum. Independent art advisor, Vanessa Curry will be conducting special free tours of the fair, and Sarah Fabergé will reveal less well-known aspects of the house of Fabergé in ‘Surprising Fabergé’.