Frieze New York 2012
![Exterior of the serpentine-shaped Frieze tent](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7m9P6DMqTakFtiKcf7ivv5-415-80.jpg)
Randall's Island, a small islet on New York City's East River, has historically been a place for outsiders - once home to an orphanage, asylum, and a reform school - however this weekend, the island was very much a destination for the inside. Boat-loads of art lovers descended on the island for the Frieze art fair's inaugural New York edition, where a 250,000 sq ft serpentine-shaped tent, designed by SO-IL (Solid Objectives - Idenburg Liu), held pop-up booths for 180 of the world's top galleries.
The expected blue chip gang were in attendance, and appropriately situated near one another: at London's Victoria Miro, generations of talented female artists were represented, including Alice Neel and Yayoi Kusama, and Sarah Sze; while White Cube gallery dominated in the British male lot, offering up a Hirst case filled with fish in formaldehyde; Antony Gormley's concrete Room II sculpture, and a glass paint-on-aluminium 'painting' by Gary Hume.
Across the corridor at Sprüth Magers, Barbara Kruger's 2012 work 'Too big to Fail' seemed to be a nod to the fair itself while a quartet of Astrid Klein collages from the 1980s recalled a freewheeling past. Meanwhile, New York's David Zwirner Gallery devoted the entire booth to Minimalism, with works by Fred Sandback, John McCracken, and Donald Judd, among others.
On the other end of the tent, big guns Hauser & Wirth and Lisson Gallery were on form: in Hauser & Wirth's immaculate booth (featuring works by Matthew Day Jackson, Subodh Gupta, Roni Horn, and more) a bright blue dwarf by Paul McCarthy giggled at passer-bys, while across the corridor, a beguiling and monumental yellow Anish Kapoor disc at the Lisson Gallery stand kept the uplifting colour scheme going.
While big galleries brought out their best, it was some of the smaller galleries that stole the spotlight: works by Gillian Wearing, Dirk Stewen, and David Salle made Maureen Paley gallery a draw; cow-hide loveseats by Richard Artschwager and intricate drawings by recent Guerlain Drawing Prize-winner Jorinde Voigt had Mayor Bloomberg lingering at David Nolan Gallery's booth; and a space-station like geometric sculpture by Buster Graybill at Jack Hanley Gallery had adults and children alike enthralled.
'Untitled 2012' by Rirkrit Tiravanija, at Gavin Brown's Enterprise booth,courtesy of Frieze
'Untitled 2012' (detail) by Rirkrit Tiravanija,courtesy of Frieze
The fair was not just a visual feast, but also a literal one. On opening night, dealer Gavin Brown and actor Mark Ruffalo 'performed' a Rirkrit Tiravanija-inspired piece, cooking and serving sausages to the crowd,courtesy of Frieze
Untitled' by Rudolph Stingel, 2012, at the Gagosian Gallery booth, courtesy of Frieze
Visitors stand before a giant yellow disc by Anish Kapoor at the Lisson Gallery stand, courtesy of Frieze
Works by Abraham Cruzvillegas at the Kurimanzutto stand, courtesy of Frieze
'Concrete Cloudburst', by James Angus, 2012, shown by Gavin Brown's Enterprise at Frieze Sculpture Park, courtesy of Frieze
'And If I Don't...', by Cerith Wyn Evans, 2012, shown by White Cube at Frieze Sculpture Park, courtesy of Frieze
'White Snow Dwarf, Sleep #7 (Midget)' by Paul McCarthy, 2012, at the Hauser & Wirth stand, courtesy of Frieze
The Sarah Sze installation at the Victoria Miro booth
Sculpture by Darren Bader at the Andrew Kreps Gallery booth
Sculptures by Buster Graybill at the Jack Hanley booth
Shadow theatre by Ulla von Brandenburg at Frieze Projects
John Ahearn re-created his 1979 exhibition 'South Bronx Hall of Fame' at Frieze Projects
Wallpaper* Newsletter + Free Download
For a free digital copy of August Wallpaper*, celebrating Creative America, sign up today to receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories
-
Birley Chocolate hits the sweet ’n’ chic spot in London’s Chelsea
The new Birley Chocolate shop, a sibling to Birley Bakery, is a confection of colour as delicious as its finely crafted goods
By Melina Keays Published
-
Feel at home at Auberge, Château La Coste's new inn for culture lovers
Auberge La Coste sits at the heart of the art-filled estate, minutes away from the joyful town of Aix-en-Provence
By Harriet Thorpe Published
-
This Nova Lima apartment is a Brazilian family oasis with striking Minas Gerais views
A Nova Lima apartment designed by Jacobsen Arquitetura celebrates its long, natural Minas Gerais vistas
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Frieze New York 2024: what to see in and around the city
Frieze New York 2024 (until Sunday 5 May) sees the city’s ample spring season programming celebrated at The Shed
By Osman Can Yerebakan Published
-
Frieze LA 2024 guide: the art, gossip and buzz
Our Frieze LA 2024 guide includes everything you need to know and see in and around the fair
By Renée Reizman Published
-
Andrea Bowers’ sculptural chandelier for Ruinart reflects a shared commitment to environmental conservation
Andrea Bowers has partnered with Ruinart to create a work to be unveiled at Frieze LA, before it finds a permanent home at Maison Ruinart’s HQ in Reims
By Hannah Silver Published
-
MJ Harper’s performance piece at London’s Koko will close Frieze Week in style
Artist MJ Harper will premiere ‘Arias for a New World’ at Koko in London this Sunday, 15 October 2023
By Amah-Rose Abrams Published
-
The Modern Institute explores otherworldly narratives at Frieze London 2023
The Modern Institute is showcasing the work of artists Rachel Eulena Williams, Jim Lambie and Andrew Sim and more
By Anne Soward Published
-
Quayola x LG OLED bring digital Impressionism to Frieze London
Quayola x LG OLED present Jardins d’Été, an immersive work that mixes Old Masters’ florals with super vivid 4K technology
By Simon Mills Published
-
Frieze London 2023: what to see and do
Everything you want to see at Frieze London 2023 and around the city in our frequently updated guide
By Hannah Silver Last updated
-
Frieze celebrates 20 years of putting art lovers in the picture
Frieze London director Eva Langret looks back on 20 years of the pioneering art fair
By Amah-Rose Abrams Published