Curating with Care: Becca Pelly-Fry and the art of reciprocity at London Art Fair 2025

Anne Berg, Life Cycles, 1985, 92 x 61cm, Courtesy of the Artist

In a city of ever-shifting art scenes, the London Art Fair stands as a reassuring constant: familiar, yet always capable of surprise. This year, its Platform section takes on a renewed energy, thanks to the curatorial vision of Becca Pelly-Fry. Under the theme “Today for You, Tomorrow for Me,” Platform explores the concept of reciprocity and interconnectedness - a subject close to Becca’s heart and reflective of her curatorial ethos.

“When they invited me to curate this year’s Platform, they gave me complete freedom within the broad area of ecology and the environment,” Becca tells me during our conversation. “What emerged was this idea of reciprocity: an ancient practice in many cultures, such as the Q’ero people of Peru, who live by the principle of ayni - which roughly translates as; today for you, tomorrow for me, or giving before you receive. It's a daily practice of gratitude and a way of being that encourages care, kindness, and gratitude - for the mountains, the rivers, plants, the animals and for each other”

This vision has led to a Platform that balances contemplative spaces, ceremonial moments and of course contemporary art, within the bustling environment of the fair. Highlights include a nature-based ritual by Venetia Nevill, a group sound healing session by artist Cherelle Sappleton, and a panel discussion on ecofeminism, featuring the intersection of art and climate justice chaired by Anna Souter. Anna will also bring to the fair a selection of paintings by Anne Berg, a trailblazer of ecofeminist art whose paintings, unearthed from her studio in the wilds of Wales by Anna Souter, are being shown publicly for the first time in over 25 years. “I’m so excited to bring her work to a wider audience,” Becca says. “She was part of the same generation as Monica Sjöö, Greenham Common and early the ecofeminist art movement.”

Natalia Janula, Delights, 2022, Courtesy of the Artist and Metamorphika Studio

Kieron Coffey, Devil's Trumpet, Courtesy of the Artist and Metamorphika Studio

To understand how Becca arrived at this point - curating within one of the UK’s most enduring art fairs - is to trace a path marked by curiosity, community-building, and a touch of renegade spirit. Becca’s journey began not in curating but in creating. After studying Fine Art in Newcastle at Northumbria University, she spent several years pursuing sculpture. “I imagined I’d be a studio artist,” she recalls, “but I gradually realised the solitary nature of it didn’t suit me. I’m someone who thrives on connection and collaboration.”

This realisation led her to transition into arts management and curating, beginning with roles in Newcastle and Durham before moving to London in 2008. There, she held pivotal positions, including Arts Development Officer in Kensington and Chelsea, and later, as Head Curator of Griffin Gallery, where she established a five-year strategy that transformed the space into a respected hub for contemporary art. This period also saw her leading global education programmes and overseeing artist residencies, experiences that honed her organisational acumen and deepened her connection with artists.

From Griffin, Becca transitioned to Elephant West, an ambitious initiative to merge art, media, and community engagement. “We had dreams of creating not just a gallery but a brand with international reach,” she explains. “While the full vision didn’t materialise, the experience reaffirmed my passion for creating spaces where people can connect - with art, with each other, and with themselves.”

Now based in Folkestone, Becca has embraced a more localised approach, working as co-director of the burgeoning School Gallery and as a co-founder of the artist-led festival Open Art Folke. Both initiatives reflect her belief in the power of community and grassroots collaboration. “When we moved to Folkestone, my goal wasn’t to impose but to listen,” she says. “I wanted to understand what the community needed and where my experience could be helpful.”

Her time in Folkestone has only deepened her commitment to creating spaces of care and connection, a thread that runs clearly through her vision for Platform 2025. While the London Art Fair is a far cry from the Kentish coast, Becca sees it as an opportunity to bring her principles to a larger audience. “Art fairs are strange, contrived spaces,” she admits. “But I’ve always thought of the London Art Fair as the friendly uncle of art fairs - welcoming and approachable in a cosy cardigan, but occasionally fond of a jazzy jumper! This year, I wanted to take that warmth and add a sense of the sacred.”

With “Today for You, Tomorrow for Me,” Becca has done just that. Whether through a sound bath in the Auditorium, the bold ecofeminist paintings of Anne Berg, or the simple act of pausing to reflect in the midst of a busy fair, Platform 2025 offers visitors a chance to reimagine their relationships - with art, with the Earth, and with each other. It’s a timely reminder of the power of reciprocity in a world that often prioritises taking over giving.

London Art Fair 2025 runs from 21 to 26 January at the Business Design Centre, Islington.

Tuesday Riddell, Lemon Slide, 2023, 25.5×50.5cm, Courtesy of the Artist and Soho Revue

Abigail Norris, Limb I, 2024, Nylon, latex, polymer, wire, steel rod, 40 x 30 x 25 cm, Courtesy of the Artist and Julian Page Gallery

Poppy Lennox, To Be in the Depths of Matter, Plaster, acrylic, pumice gel and thread on birch plywood, 90 x 90 cm, 2023 © Georgie Beattie, courtesy of the Artist and 99 Projects