The arrival of the Frieze Art Fair in Los Angeles in 2019 affirmed what many—particularly Angelenos—had known for a while: the California city had risen to become a major hub for global contemporary art. And just like other Frieze iterations around the world, as well as similar large fairs like Art Basel, the event quickly ballooned into a wider cultural moment that spans a week of programming, exhibition openings and across the sprawling metropolis.

The first edition of Frieze LA was held at the Paramount Pictures Studios in Hollywood, but the annual anchor for LA’s unofficial art week moved to Santa Monica in 2023. This February, the fair returns for its seventh edition and will run from 26 February to 1 March, 2026, with the first two days as VIP previews before opening up to ticketed guests. It will take place alongside several major exhibitions at the city’s top cultural institutions, including the Getty, Hammer Museum, The Broad, and MOCA that visiting art lovers can enjoy while they’re in town. Many LA-based galleries will participate at Frieze, or the concurrent Felix Art Fair, while a handful have planned exhibitions in their own spaces that will open over the same weekend. Here's everything you need to know.

What is Frieze LA?

The renowned contemporary art fair was founded by Amanda Sharp and Matthew Slotover, the creators of Frieze magazine, and held its first edition in October 2003 in Regent's Park, London. The annual show was later joined by Frieze Masters, dedicated to art created before 2000, and expanded to New York in 2012. The LA edition's debut in 2019 was shortly followed by Seoul in 2022, and the following year, Frieze also acquired The Armory Show in New York, and EXPO Chicago—creating a constellation of events that run throughout the year.

This year, Frieze LA will feature 95 galleries from around the world, with well-known names such as Hauser & Wirth, Gagosian, Pace Gallery, White Cube, David Zwirner and many more on the roster. The LA art community will be represented by a large contingent that includes Matthew Brown, Château Shatto, Commonwealth and Council, Anat Ebgi, David Kordansky Gallery, The Pit, Roberts Projects and more. Curator Essence Harden is returning for a third consecutive year to curate the ‘Focus’ section, which includes 15 emerging US-based galleries.

Where is Frieze LA?

For its seventh edition, Frieze LA will take place at the Santa Monica Airport, located two miles inland from the city’s famed beach and pier. A vast temporary tent will be erected in an open-air parking lot to host the gallery booths, and provide a venue for a robust talks program and awards ceremonies. Across the airport campus, a series of site-specific installations and activations will also be free and accessible to the public.

Top things to see during Frieze Los Angeles 2026

Alicja Kwade at 303 Gallery

If there’s one Frieze booth number to bookmark, it’s 303 Gallery’s (B20), where a solo presentation of works by Polish artist Alicja Kwade is bound to be a fair highlight. Kwade’s combinations of richly coloured, almost planetary stone spheres with bronze replicas of everyday objects, like a monobloc plastic chair or a shopping bag. These pieces examine mass consumption and proliferation in today’s society, placing the weight of the world onto its most humble or commonly used items.

Felix Art Fair

Established in 2018 and now in its eighth edition, the Felix Art Fair is taking place 25 February to 1 March at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. The fair is considered a more relaxed alternative to Frieze, and will feature 57 galleries that include 18 with a presence in Los Angeles—Megan Mulrooney, Albertz Benda, and Weinstein Gallery amongst them—and over 20 first-time exhibitors. The 2026 fair will also mark the launch of The Felix Podcast, a new audio project hosted by LA-based collector Dean Valentine—who co-founded the fair Mills and Al Morán—and journalist Janelle Zara.

The Future Perfect’s Goldwyn House

The Future Perfect continues to update and expand its presence at the Goldwyn House, a storied 1916 mansion at the foot of the Hollywood Hills. During Frieze, the collectible design gallery is unveiling never-before-seen spaces within the residence, including its private residential quarters. Now known as the Goldwyn Guest House, this area will feature works by Sarah Solis and Pinch, as well as Bocci lighting that will extend into the landscape. Meanwhile, the newly unveiled kitchen is hosting a group exhibition titled 'Jugs,' comprising 30 artists’ interpretations of the humble water vessel. Other rooms across the expansive building will exhibit Lindsey Adelman’s Illuminated Mobiles II series of ceramic canopies and hand-blown glass orbs inscribed in gold enamel, Collection Particulière’s US debut of new furniture designs, new pieces by Chris Wolston and a bedroom outfitted by Orior.

'Made in L.A. 2025' at Hammer Museum

Frieze weekend will be the last chance to catch the Hammer Museum’s biennial exhibition dedicated to artists practicing across the greater Los Angeles area. This seventh iteration spotlights 28 multigenerational participants who are working in film, painting, theater, choreography, photography, sculpture, sound, and video. All of the artists were chosen for the way in which they represent and engage with the city, particularly in terms of attitude, and together create a patchwork portrait of LA’s cutting-edge art scene. On view through 1 March.

Ingrid Donat at Carpenters Workshop Gallery

Swedish-French artist Ingrid Donat’s first solo showcase in Los Angeles will involve a selection of sculptural furniture pieces imbued with influences spanning Art Nouveau, Art Deco, and a range of global craft traditions. Titled ‘Tatoo,’ the show demonstrates her signature mark-making techniques in materials such as leather, bronze and fabric. As the centrepiece of the exhibition, the rounded Commode Tatoo is covered in square, geometric patterns that resemble reptile skin, while the Banquette aux Caryatides et Scarifications incorporates wax-cast bronze figures into the slender frame of the upholstered bench. The show runs 26 February to 30 May at Carpenters Workshop Gallery on Santa Monica Boulevard.

A medieval moodboard

Gabriel Annouka, senior designer

Certain books are so captivating that you can’t stop reading or thinking about them. In contemporary design, we obsess over the usual suspects: Swiss grids, sans-serifs, and radically clean layouts (yes, I’m complicit). But last weekend at Frieze Masters, I fell for something wonderfully un-minimal: the medieval books of hours.

Gold and silver leaf halos, hand-painted saints, margins blossoming with vines and mythical beasts – these were the Middle Ages’ daily devotionals, meant more for admiring than for reading: spirituality meets genuine art direction. Each one was a distinct, portable cathedral of pigment and vellum – delicate, sacred, and decadent.

They were said to be accessible at the time (that is, intended for laypeople), though mostly owned by privileged men of the medieval elite (Catherine of Aragon also had one). I must admit I wish I could own one myself – perhaps one day. It’s fascinating how these illuminated pages make our branding palettes appear a little anaemic. I left Frieze (mostly Masters) fully enchanted, already planning how to incorporate a little medieval embellishment into my next work – because even dedication, it turns out, looks better gilded.

A Singaporean spread

Sofia de la Cruz, travel editor

The best way to enliven an office routine? A glamorous new restaurant opening just next door. That’s been the case for us with the arrival of Cé La Vi, the acclaimed Singaporean import with outposts in Dubai, Taipei and Tokyo.

Perched atop the newly unveiled Renzo Piano Building Workshop glass cube, the restaurant crowns the 17th and 18th floors with sweeping vistas of the capital. A dedicated lift from the new public square whisks guests skyward, each floor revealing an ever-widening panorama before opening into Cé La Vi’s signature scarlet-hued world. Inside, a slick bar, dining space and terrace set the tone for what’s to come, with the top level soon to open as a lounge and private dining suite.

The menu comprises a confident medley of East Asian flavours and textures rooted in the brand’s Singaporean DNA. Dishes arrive with visual flourish and satisfying substance: highlights include delicately seared tuna tataki with pink peppercorn dressing, ideally followed by a bowl of Maldon-salted fries and a well-timed glass of champagne.

A sumo spectacle

Melina Keays, entertaining director

I’ve been to the Royal Albert Hall and witnessed sumo wrestling’s return to the UK for the first time in 34 years. It was a magnificent occasion, and, for the record, only the second time in history that an official sumo tournament (known as a bansho) has taken place outside Japan. Sipping delicious Hibiki whisky, seated in velvet splendour, I reflected that the Albert Hall seems almost to have been built to host such an event – its grandeur and rotund solidity reflect the features of sumo wrestling, and the great building perfectly encircles the round clay wrestling ring (dohyo) where the action takes place.

The tournament was a mesmerising and very beautiful combination of ceremony, balletic agility, skill, and brute strength – not to mention the thrill of the competition. I will be rattling the doors of the Albert Hall to get a seat next time elite sumo comes to town – hopefully soon.

A magical collab

Anna Fixsen, US editor

Love design history? I certainly do, and one of my enduring fascinations is the life and work of Mariano Fortuny, a Spanish-born, Venice-based design polymath who worked across textiles, lighting, production design and fashion during the early 20th century. Fortuny was so renowned that he was known as the ‘magician of Venice’. Though his design company has been operating for more than a century, it found a kindred spirit in a much younger one: L’Objet, the luxury home and lifestyle brand founded by Elad Yifrach in 2005. The two brands toasted to their latest collab at the Manhattan studio of Athena Calderone this week. The collection, which comprises jewel-toned glassware, Midas-touched plates, games and more, provided an opulent backdrop for the evening. A table, heaped high with glistening fruits and nibbles courtesy of chef Andy Baraghani, looked straight out of a Venetian School still life. Magician, indeed!

An upending exhibition

Anna Solomon, digital staff writer

For something unabashedly and authentically different, head to the Royal Academy for ‘The Histories’, a major retrospective of American artist Kerry James Marshall. His work feels so fresh, so defiantly his own, that I had to keep reminding myself I was in the RA – that bastion of British tradition.

Yet there’s no question that Marshall belongs there, among the greats who came before. His paintings are vast, unruly and crammed with references that ricochet from art history to civil rights, comics to science fiction. He moves effortlessly between portraits, still lives, near-monochromes, and electrifying twists on abstract expressionism and Afrofuturism.

Everything about them is bold – the scale, the colour, and, most of all, the presence. Marshall’s Black figures command every canvas, unapologetically occupying the space from which they’ve long been excluded. By remixing the tropes of Western art history, he rewrites it, inserting new heroes into its frames.

Frieze London 2025 marked the fair’s 22nd edition, and beneath the white tents in Regent’s Park, this year’s standouts share a common strategy: reworking inherited forms to expose the infrastructures that shape what (and who) gets seen. From Christelle Oyiri’s acid-green critique of tourism to Claudia Alarcón & Silät’s revival of ancestral Wichí weaving, the fair’s most compelling voices were the ones dismantling the systems they occupy.

Frieze London 2025 highlights

Michelle Uckotter at Kings Leap

At Frieze London 2025, Michelle Uckotter’s ‘Sins of the City’ presentation at King’s Leap was a quiet knockout. Working in oil pastel across conjoined canvases, Uckotter conjures scenes of urban desolation and psychic disarray with a hand both tender and ruthless. Her collapsing Midwestern streetscapes, drawn from the geography of her own Ohio upbringing, possess the melancholy of midcentury photography and the fractured lyricism of TS Eliot’s The Waste Land.

Flanking them on both sides are two women, one jester-like with a violin, the other the blonde Duchess (Nova Sinclair) holding a guitar. Around the corner from the paintings, a camera peephole was installed in the wall, recalling Duchamp’s Étant donnés, which opens onto a flickering bedroom with two dolls lounging on the bed, reading and passing time: an eerie convergence of voyeurism and confession. Through these formal and conceptual apertures, Uckotter collapses time, fusing the allegorical with the documentary. What makes Uckotter singular is not just her radical formalism, but her conviction: her paintings insist that the medium still matters within the debris of the modern world.

Alex Margo Arden at Ginny on Frederick

Alex Margo Arden’s presentation, ‘By All Accounts’, gathered a crowd of decommissioned male mannequins, all salvaged from the National Motor Museum before being sent to landfill, and bound together in a looping tug-of-war rope. 'I was interested in the museum’s decision to remove and dispose of the mannequins,' Arden tells me. 'These figures were the conduits through which the museum’s version of the past was transmitted and in that sense, they’ve become historical objects in their own right. By recontextualising them, I wanted to hold the institution to account for its methods of storytelling – to expose how certain narratives are constructed, and to consider how these discarded bodies might still hold value.'

The installation, Accounts (2025), reconfigures how we think about history and display. Once used to animate scenes of industrial progress, the mannequins now huddle in uneasy congregation, their former authority collapsing into vulnerability. The rope encircling them reads as both connective and threatening. 'The tug of war is a collective contest of strength which can carry a latent violence’, says the artist; she questions 'what it means to pull together, what it means to be pulled apart, and how the residue of effort is marked on the body itself'.

Nearby, Daily Departmental Accident Record hangs on the wall, a reconstructed Hollywood accident-report board that turns bureaucratic order into a memorial. Talking about London, Arden explains that ‘there’s a sense of constant restaging in London… It’s a city where layers of history are always on display. That sense of how histories are performed and maintained feels central to my work.’ Caught between play and danger, Arden’s mannequins become a choreography of bodies tugging against the narratives they were built to uphold. The presentation was the recipient of two awards, granted by the Arts Council Collection and the Nicoletta Fiorucci Foundation.

Christelle Oyiri at Gathering

You couldn’t miss Christelle Oyiri’s ‘Venom Voyage’ at Frieze London – a grotesque, luminous-green eruption amid the fair’s otherwise polite minimalism. The artist, producer, and DJ (aka CyrstallMess) transformed Gathering’s debut stand into a delirious anti–travel agency: two office chairs stationed at its centre beneath a bright red double-V logo, flanked by a water cooler and filing cabinet.

Drawing on Frantz Fanon and HE Sawyer’s I Am the Dark Tourist, Oyiri skewered the colonial imagination embedded in leisure culture, where paradise and exploitation intertwine. Glossy souvenirs, militant slogans, with one defiantly reading ‘Jetlag is for amateurs’, and acid-toned walls conjured a space pitched somewhere between seduction and sickness: a Brechtian funhouse that exposed tourism as theatre. ‘Venom Voyage’ left visitors complicit, queasy, and exhilarated; a rare moment at the fair where aesthetics, politics, and pop collided in perfect, poisonous harmony.

Lucia di Luciano at Herald St

Born in 1933 in Syracuse, Lucia Di Luciano has spent six decades making abstract paintings, and her latest works, shown with Herald St at Frieze London, feel almost punk in their chequered rhythms and one-toned palettes: grids that glitch, lines that pulse, colours that refuse to blend. She uses neon pinks in one chequered canvas, and neon yellow in another, where the grid has fractured and dissolved slightly. There’s something startlingly youthful about them, though they emerge from a lifetime of formal artistic rigour.

Di Luciano was part of Italy’s postwar vanguard, aligned with Arte Programmata, the movement that sought to merge logic, mathematics, and art. Alongside her husband and collaborator Giovanni Pizzo, she spent years exploring the algorithmic potential of painting, long before the idea of the digital as a metaphor. Her early black-and-white compositions on Masonite were precise, their mathematically sequenced forms creating optical vibrations that felt both mechanical and ecstatic. Now, in her Minimal and Senza Titolo series, the grid remains, but loosens and her brush marks streak and flicker across the surface, the colour raw and unblended. Her paintings seem to belong to every generation at once: rooted in the cool rationalism of the 1960s, yet with the immediacy of now.

Claudia Alarcón & Silät at Cecilia Brunson Projects

One of the quieter yet most resonant booths at Frieze London came from Claudia Alarcón & Silät, the Indigenous Wichí collective presented by Cecilia Brunson Projects, notably marking the first Latin American representation in the fair’s main section since 2013. Along the booth’s walls, their loosely woven chaguar textiles, framed in warm wood, radiated the rhythmic intricacy of their making. Spun from the hand-twisted fibres of the chaguar plant, these abstractions emerged through the repetition of gesture, poised between the geometric and the spiritual, and carrying stories passed down through generations of Wichí women.

The collective’s latest works, including a revival of an ancestral stitch once thought lost, deepen ideas of preservation and renewal and transform ancient technique into a living, contemporary body of work. Alarcón & Silät’s textiles stood apart for their material humility and conceptual resonance: quiet, deliberate, and profoundly political. They reminded viewers that modern abstraction was never exclusively Western, and that a woven thread can carry cosmology, resistance, and continuity all at once. It was, in every sense, a milestone: for the artists, for Latin American representation, and for Frieze itself.

Bogdan Ablozhnyy at a.SQUIRE

The Bloomsbury gallery, known for its minimalist and conceptually exacting programme, presented six works by Bogdan Ablozhnyy in a meticulously staged installation that earned this year’s Camden Art Centre Prize. A central pole swathed in animal print and imprinted leather was ringed by photographic apparatuses of flashes, shutters and lenses, all orbiting a psychological drama. The scene restaged a case study from Freud’s 1915 essay A Case of Paranoia Running Counter to the Psycho-Analytical Theory of the Disease, in which a woman becomes convinced her lover has photographed their intimacy in secret. Freud interpreted her fear as paranoia, and, by a predictably patriarchal leap, as a symptom of homosexuality.

Ablozhnyy revisits this text not to illustrate it, but to unpack its rhetorics of image, desire, and control. His booth becomes a diagram of projection, where each camera part, musical fragment, blue topazes, and leatherette surface hover between fetish and function, staging the psychic theatre where looking, wanting, and knowing blur. Desire here is not absent but present within its architecture. Ablozhnyy’s work rewards close looking, and what made this booth so exciting was its precision: minimal, disciplined, and charged in a total environment that dramatised theory into an atmosphere.

Alina Rentsch at Petrine

In a fair defined by spectacle and commerce, Alina Rentsch’s Booth (2025) turned its own architecture inside out. The Berlin-based artist transformed the booth into a spatial illusion: a printed carpet stretched to the booth’s exact dimensions, warping the floor into an imagined sub-level visible only from one precise vantage point. Above, a single lamp recited an excerpt from her fair proposal, bringing language back into the infrastructure of display.

Rentsch’s installation functioned as both artwork and a meditation on how the art fair itself produces images, value, and desire. Playing with 17th-century perspective boxes and contemporary economies of attention, she recast the booth as a stage for distortion, translation, and use. Her reference to the kitchen offered a metaphor for how material, language, and labour are processed into consumable form, whether domestic or economic. Subtle yet conceptually exacting, Booth provoked an unexpected reaction from visitors, many of whom hesitated to step onto the carpeted floor, unsure whether they were meant to enter at all. In a landscape of objects for sale, Rentsch’s work stood out precisely because it refused to perform as one.

Daiga Grantina at Emalin

This year’s Fluxus–CPGA Prize at Frieze London went to Daiga Grantina. The Latvian-born sculptor distilled her practice into a single, delicate wall work with Untitled (August #15) (2025) at Emalin. Composed of plywood, ink, fabric, wax, and staples, the piece felt almost weightless, in a subtle compression of form and feeling. The Fluxus–CPGA Prize, awarded jointly by the Fluxus Art Projects and the Comité Professionnel des Galeries d’Art, supports artists expanding cross-European dialogue and experimentation.

Grantina’s sculptures investigate what happens when materials meet, and when tension, pressure, and fragility become their own kind of syntax. Her forms seem to oscillate between the microscopic and the monumental, between organism and architecture, reconfiguring hierarchies of perception. Grantina is currently showing her first UK institutional exhibition at the Nicoletta Fiorucci Foundation, until January 2026. Her work reveals abstraction as an ecosystem, and at Frieze, her sculpture felt like a quiet, tensile moment between louder works throughout the fair.

Lauren Halsey at Gagosian

Lauren Halsey’s installation at Gagosian centred on a 6ft plaza sign stacked with blazing slogans, including: ‘Bling Tax & Things’, ‘Grace & Truth’, and ‘2-Getha’, crowned with ‘Affordable Black Art’ and edged with ‘Highly Favored’. The luminous vertical assemblage, titled LODA PLAZA (2025), channelled the consumerist exuberance of South Central Los Angeles’ hand-painted vernacular signage. Surrounding the sign, engraved panels of polymer-modified gypsum on wood mapped fragments of Black history and everyday myth.

Halsey’s installation sits at the intersection of language and architecture, extending her ongoing attempt to reconstitute the visual lexicon of South Central within the economies of the global art world. Her engraved surfaces operate as both document and translation, melding the syntax of urban life, including rendering of graffiti, commercial typography and people into sculpture. The work’s brilliance lies in its refusal to flatten or sentimentalise: Halsey doesn’t turn community signage into decoration, but instead turns it into a form of monumental inscription. Within the fair setting, LODA PLAZA engaged the market’s rhythms while redirecting them toward a politics of visibility, and what emerged was a form of world-building: a plaza within the white cube, showing that language itself can shape space and notions of belonging.

Welcome to Out of Office: a week in the life of the Wallpaper* editors.

A week at Frieze

Hannah Silver, Arts, Watches & Jewellery Editor

For gallerists, collectors and art editors, it’s been one of the busiest weeks of the year in London, as Frieze hit the capital (read more in our live blog). From the fair’s vantage point in Regent's Park, art trends are set, art deals are made, and artists unite for a few days of art-world gossip and big business. It has been a good vibe this year: hectic, but thrilling, with the emphasis firmly on both the established and the emerging.

Most exciting are the exhibitions and events that spring up around the capital during the fair. In one day alone this week, I whizzed from Joy Gregory at the Whitechapel Gallery to Marina Abramović at Saatchi Yates, Nicolas Party at Hauser & Wirth, Lee Miller at Tate Britain and on to Wayne Thiebaud’s gorgeously painted American pies at The Courtauld. And still, the list of things to see is reassuringly long – showing London’s art scene is still very much thriving.

An exploration of urban forests

Ellie Stathaki, Architecture and Environment Director

'My chat with Lebanese architect Adib Dada of TheOtherDada over a morning coffee at The Standard this week reignited my interest in urban forests. Dada is not only an architect but also a reforestation and rewilding expert and has been working on sites across Beirut for some years now. It's an approach he takes with private projects across the Middle East too, such as his eco home design Landform, which not only ticked the boxes that allowed it to become BREEAM Certified, but is also an interesting and important experiment in learning how to build sustainably in contemporary desert environments. We had covered his Dubai Art Jameel pavilion before but I am watching keenly what he will be up to in the future.'

A theatrical must-see

Gabriel Annouka, Senior Designer

This week I had the pleasure of attending Oscar Wilde’s classic The Importance of Being Earnest at the Noël Coward Theatre, courtesy of a birthday present from a dear friend. Scene stealers were the fabulous Kitty Hawthorne and Jessica Whitehurst, playing the sharp-witted Gwendolen Fairfax and the vivacious Cecily Cardew. The performance overflowed with physical comedy as well as wit. Stephen Fry’s portrayal of Lady Bracknell, iconic and grand. What a fabulous cast and run! The whole show was ridiculous and joyously so; even the final moment, when the cast takes their bows, became another burst of euphoria: the actors transformed into a cascade of gorgeous flowers, stepping forward one by one, smiling, skipping and soaking up the applause from a brilliantly colourful stage. A must-see before the season ends on January 10, 2026.

A long-overdue meeting

Anna Fixsen, US editor

In a globalised world, remote work is pretty much de rigueur. But nothing beats working face-to-face – especially when you work for a team like Wallpaper*’s bright crew of writers and editors. These last 10 days, I have been in London, first on a wonderful visit with my mum, during which we saw all of the city’s sights (Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Kensington Palace and The V&A to see Marie Antoinette Style…do I need to go on?). The latter half of my trip, though, I got the opportunity to work remotely from Wallpaper*’s HQ, based in a Grade II Listed 1840s terrace in Paddington. It was the first time meeting many of my UK colleagues IRL. In between meetings, there were coffee breaks, treks to the Salad Project and, of course, sessions at local watering holes. Teamwork makes the dream work, as they say – and what a dream team we have.

A clever cocktail

Bridget Downing, Executive Editor

New to negronis, I tried a delicious and pretty orange blossom one – Beefeater Gin, orange blossom, dry vermouth, and Campari – at the Golden Square outpost of London Italian restaurant chain Bancone this week. I’m definitely a convert. They also have a classic and a white variation on the menu, but meanwhile, I looked up Wallpaper* entertaining director Melina Keays’ own classic negroni recipe to try at home. Cheers, Melina.

An electric performance

Sofia de la Cruz, Travel Editor

London’s own Little Simz returned to the stage with a performance that was equal parts rage and grace. Framed as a homecoming, her set at The O2 unfurled with the confidence of an artist entirely in command of her craft: fierce, fluid, and unapologetic. At one point, the arena turned into a club when Simz swapped the mic for a DJ deck. From the endearing childhood video of the rapper opening the show to an unexpected appearance by Emma Corrin and a closing piano sonata by Sampha, the night exceeded all expectations. For the next few days, I’ll be recovering from post-concert-of-a-lifetime depression.

On a gloomy evening in London earlier this week, tucked away behind the busy streets of Marylebone, one house on a quiet mews shone brighter than the rest, throwing light across the wet cobblestones. Through an open door, we glimpse a wall of dazzling light and a small team making careful adjustments to a grid of modular panels. A closer look confirms that one of the workers is world-renowned artistic director Alexandre de Betak himself. He greets us mid-video call, bespectacled and smiling broadly.

The unassuming London location is the site of de Betak’s new studio, his first independent venture since stepping back from the megalith production house, Bureau Betak, that he spent his career building. The lighting installation he is working on here is momentous – both in its physical presence and its personal significance – marking a new city and a new chapter in which his personal practice and artistic journey take centre stage.

But why London? ‘I’ve been asked that so often in the past few days,’ he laughs. ‘Maybe because everyone’s leaving. I find that intriguing – when everyone goes, I want to come. It creates a sense of newness, a new beginning.’

Having produced his first fashion show at 19 and opened his agency, Bureau Betak, in 1990, he left Paris for New York in 1993 when he was in his early twenties. ‘I kind of fell into this world by accident when I was very young,’ he recalls. Over the past three decades, he has built a global reputation for staging some of fashion’s most spectacular shows – from Dior’s delphinium-covered tent in Paris to Saint Laurent’s glittering spectacles beneath the Eiffel Tower.

In more recent years, he has divided his time between Mallorca and Paris, but London, he feels, is in a state of transition – a place where shifting fortunes are creating space for new beginnings and more interesting creative voices. ‘There’s a punk creative freedom here that I’ve always felt,’ he says excitedly. ‘Paris can be too perfect, too historical, too boxed-in. London has a kind of free-spirited energy – it’s raw, it’s experimental, it’s always the place where things start.’

The installation, which opens today during Frieze Week, is designed to evolve. De Betak describes it as ‘an installation in progress’. Spread across the ground floor of two conjoined mews houses, the installation is made of two contrasting halves – one clad entirely in light fixtures, and the other painted black, with a walkway made from the same modular panels and a mirrored wall set on a diagonal. The work is inspired by office fluorescents – ‘the worst lights in the world,’ as he calls them – reimagined into warm, flattering ‘Hollywood beauty light’. ‘It’s a mix of disorientating and beautiful,’ he says, standing before the mirror in the black room. ‘At night it becomes very warm, still very bright. Everyone who comes here will be glowing – I promise.’

For de Betak, the space is not a gallery but a working atelier: ‘It’s a place to create and to reflect,’ he says. The installation – and the studio itself – will remain in flux. He plans to knock down walls, lift floors and keep reconfiguring the rooms as new ideas take shape. ‘It will always be evolving,’ he says.

He stresses that this new chapter is less a rupture than a re-centering: ‘My everyday life is the same – I design weird, big, crazy stuff with a lot of light in it. The only difference is that I’ve removed the girl walking on top of it,’ he jokes, referring to his departure from the relentless fashion treadmill. ‘But suddenly, when you remove that girl, then the attention goes towards what I do, and only what I do.’

He is now taking time away from commissions to focus on light sculptures, architectural installations and houses that blur art and design – a deliberate step, he says, towards creative freedom. ‘I don’t want to do events anymore – I think I’ve done more events than anybody on this planet,’ he laughs. What follows, he explains, is not about rejecting that legacy but rediscovering what happens when the brief – and the brand – are removed. ‘I’m going through a moment of uselessness,' he adds, 'more un-practical, more exploratory – and I’m quite enjoying it.’

This evening, the installation opens during Frieze London, with music by Paul Simonon, cuisine by Rose Chalalai Singh and a special cocktail by Space Talk. As guests lose themselves in the Hollywood glow of de Betak’s installation, the experience feels almost allegorical. ‘When you remove the objective of the event,’ he says, ‘you’re a bit more free – but you’re also lost. And that’s interesting. I never had the time to get lost before.’

If fashion and art were once reticent bedfellows, the past two decades have seen the two mediums enter symbiosis through a near-endless slew of collaborations, exhibition sponsorships, artist-designed runway sets and art-filled boutiques. It is unsurprising, then, that when it comes to the arrival of Frieze Week – whether the fair’s New York, London, Los Angeles or Seoul iterations – a line-up of fashion activations follows.

Such is the case for Frieze London 2025, which opens for previews today (15 October), with numerous fashion brands hosting events across the week. And, while a number of these might seem opportunist grabs for the art world’s cultural heft, an equal number show the potential spoils of the partnership – whether Stone Island’s sponsorship of Frieze Focus (the scheme supports emerging galleries), Dunhill’s always-illuminating Frieze Masters talks, or the arrival of Prada Mode in London, the Italian fashion house’s roving programme of cultural events. For this edition, the house hands the reins to Berlin-based duo Elmgreen & Dragset, who have created a surreal cinema that will host a curated programme of talks, lectures and screenings over the coming days.

Here, Wallpaper* selects the best fashion happenings to add to your Frieze London 2025 schedule.

Dunhill will host its annual Frieze Masters talks

The relative calm of Frieze Masters provides a welcome respite from the frenetic main fair, where low-lit booths and hushed chatter surround an always intriguing display – from ancient antiquity to mid-century masterworks, and all that came in between (the cut-off year to be displayed at Frieze Masters is the year 2000, with the oldest objects dating back millenia). It makes the perfect setting for Dunhill’s tranquil ‘Frieze Masters Talks’, which sees the British heritage house invite a line-up of artistic luminaries – from those with works displayed in Frieze Masters to curators, writers and collectors – to take part in a series of talks across the week, giving visitors a well-earned moment of quiet contemplation amid the noise elsewhere.

Always illuminating, this year’s schedule is curated by director of Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi Arturo Galansino and includes conversations between Tracey Emin and director of the British Museum Nicholas Cullinan (‘Confessions in the Museum’ is the title of their talk), artist Edward George and author Matthew Harle (they will discuss George’s ‘Black Atlas’ project), and artist Anthony Gormley who will discuss ‘Sculpting a New Humanism’ alongside Galansino himself (a full schedule is available on Frieze Masters’ website). Always impeccably staged, the intimate talks and enveloping interiors have the feel of an exclusive member’s club – not unlike Dunhill’s sanctuary-like Bourdon House in Mayfair, the former residence of the Hugh Grosvenor, the 2nd Duke of Westminster.

Discover the full programme here.

Prada Mode arrives in London

Prada Mode is the Italian fashion house’s immersive arts-led programme, which has taken place in a series of locations around the world – the last edition took place in Abu Dhabi earlier this year, seeing American artist Theaster Gates curate a schedule of talks and events in a site-specific space in the city’s MiZa district. After previously taking place in London back in 2019 (the house took over the subterranean basement of 180 Strand, turning it into a surreal jazz bar), the 2025 edition sees Prada Mode return to London, curated by Berlin-based duo Elmgreen & Dragset.

They have created a special installation for the event titled ‘The Audience’ in Town Hall, a recently opened cultural centre close to King’s Cross station, comprising a simulacrum of a cinema populated by a series of their hyper-realistic figures (on the screen, a purposefully blurred movie plays). Running for previews from today (15 October) until 19 October, participants include the artists themselves, as well as Shona Heath, Elizabeth Diller, James Massiah, Kirsty Sedgman, James Price and more, with a series of talks, events and screenings unfolding in the surreal cinema space.

Register for Prada Mode here.

Stone Island continues its support of Frieze Focus

Part of its global Frieze partnership, Italian technical-wear brand Stone Island will support this year’s edition of Frieze Focus, an offshoot of the fair which gives exhibition space to emerging galleries and the artists that they represent. This year, the eclectic line-up spans 35 international galleries, from London’s Nicoletti, which will show works by Texas-born, London-based artist Gray Weilebinski, to institutions in Beirut, Cairo, Shanghai, Warsaw, Seoul and Athens (among many others).

‘This year marks the third consecutive year of our sponsorship of Frieze Focus, a partnership that celebrates the influence of contemporary art within Stone Island’s global community,’ says Robert Triefus, Stone Island’s CEO. ‘We are delighted to continue our support of the Focus section at Frieze, championing emerging gallerists and the artists they represent’

Dover Street Market celebrates Frieze 2025

For each edition of Frieze London, Rei Kawakubo and Adrian Joffe’s Dover Street Market hosts a buzzy evening in the Haymarket concept store, inviting artists and fashion designers alike to set up shop. Taking place on Thursday evening – with further activations happening across the weekend – the eclectic line-up includes a window display featuring pieces by Georgia O’Keefe (Kawakubo has curated the line-up), a showing of work by British artist Sonia Boyce, as well as installations from Air Jordan by Assouline and Stone Island Denim Research. For fashion fans, the event also heralds the arrival of Saint Laurent in the store – the Parisian house will be unveiling their new dedicated space as part of the festivities – and there will be an opportunity to shop a series of special launches, including a series of portable ‘seats’ by Craig Green, revealed by the designer today on Instagram.

Rick Owens displays his furniture at Carpenters Workshop Gallery

Multi-hyphenate fashion designer Rick Owens has chosen Frieze week to open a new exhibition at west London’s Carpenters Workshop Gallery, displaying a series of furniture created alongside his wife Michèle Lamy (she also serves as the exhibition’s curator). Titled ‘Rust Never Sleeps’, the various creations – each in Owens’ signature monolithic style – are largely crafted from patinated metal inspired by London’s long tradition of Brutalist architecture. We got a special walkthrough from Lamy last week, with memorable highlights including an enormous elm bed complete with antler horns, a rusted steel and crocodile leather day bed, and an enormous marble urn, rendered in Owens’ moody, visually arresting style. ‘Taking its title from Neil Young’s 1979 anthem – the exhibition transforms the phrase into a manifesto for artistic endurance: it is better to burn out than to fade away,’ read the lyrical press notes.

Rick Owens: Rust Never Sleeps runs at the Carpenters Workshop London until 14 February 2026.

Phoebe Philo supports Peter Doig’s new exhibition, ‘House of Music’

Phoebe Philo, the former Celine and Chloé designer who now helms an eponymous London label, serves as the principal sponsor of Peter Doig’s new exhibition – a testament to her own long-standing link with the art world. Titled ‘House of Music’, the exhibition at the Serpentine Galleries invites visitors to ‘sit, linger, take a nap’ in the space, which sees the British artist’s paintings displayed amid midcentury furnishings and backdropped by a sound system featuring a bespoke soundtrack comprising over 300 records. ‘The idea of having furniture and chairs here is that some people feel like they can linger, they may even want to have a nap,’ he told Wallpaper*, noting that it was a rare opportunity to see works that are in private hands made public. ‘The paintings often end up in private hands, and the people who get to see them are very few. So, it's making all aspects public.’

READ: ‘Sit, linger, take a nap’: Peter Doig welcomes visitors to his Serpentine exhibition

It’s no secret that food feeds Jonny Gent’s art, just as art fuels his appetite for hospitality. For the painter, creative director of Cabin Studio, and founder of Sessions Arts Club – a Clerkenwell restaurant that’s also an exhibition and performance space – both worlds are full of rituals: of theatre, restraint, and desire. ‘I think food should hum beneath the skin, like a good painting,’ he tells Wallpaper*.

Much like Gent himself, his Clerkenwell restaurant is ever-restless, periodically reimagined by artists and designers, and, since last year, no longer bound by the historic walls of its home in Sessions House, a former courthouse. Its first foray beyond what was once a judges’ dining room came at Frieze London 2024, where the team created a discreet refuge from the fair’s frenzy. The pop-up concept took its cue from the reverse of an artist’s canvas: walls draped in untreated cotton that diffused the light in soft, painterly tones, layered with floral shadow installations by Hattie Fox. The collaboration between Gent, architect Russell Potter of Soda Studio, and Richard J McConkey of A Studio Between was a study in texture, intimacy and suspended time.

For 2025, Sessions Art Club (SAC) returns to Frieze London with a new mise-en-scène: a dining space that sits somewhere between confessional and stage set. Potter, McConkey and Gent reunite to create an environment shaped by cinematic light and tactile form inspired by the primal surfaces of France’s Lascaux caves (the site of prehistoric paintings), and the stylised tension of Paul Verhoeven’s 1992 movie Basic Instinct. The film’s singular blue-lit interrogation scene becomes a visual leitmotif, refracted through shifting shadows and glowing table surfaces that pulse between natural and artificial illumination.

Cut-out objects from Gent and sculptural forms are interspersed with Hattie Fox’s botanical interventions, a surreal echo of cave flora. Guests enter to find a bar framed by a bold architectural façade, which acts as a display, with others stretching across the rear and side walls. In the kitchen, chef Abigail Hill’s menu channels the same sense of seasonal beauty and studied nonchalance found on the permanent Sessions Arts Club site, equally suited to a fleeting mid-fair interlude or a languid, post-gallery lunch. Expect Carlingford oysters, Cobble Lane fennel salami, Jerusalem artichoke risotto, and goat’s curd with rainbow chard.

As with the 2024 edition, the pop-up features limited-edition objects and collaborations: six one-off Tekla bags embroidered with Gent’s handwriting and quotes from Basic Instinct and philosopher Alan Watts; SAC at Frieze posters; Lost Wines Vols 1-3; graphic T-shirts by Mans Ericson of Every Night Studios; Completedworks objects; Drake’s x SAC x Cabin Studio caps; and other pieces that are half art, half artefacts.

Here, we catch up with Jonny Gent to celebrate the opening of the Sessions Art Club at Frieze London 2025.

Sessions Art Club pops up at Frieze London 2025

Wallpaper*: Sessions Arts Club blurs the lines between restaurant and art installation. How does this Frieze iteration push that idea further?

Jonny Gent: I love to explore the intersections of human complication, memory, sensuality and space. Here, I wanted the dining room to feel as urgent as a gallery, buried beneath the white noise of the fair. A room not curated, but conjured; light falling like a brushstroke. You walk in and you’re not sure if you should sit down or just stand very still and listen.

W*: How can dining, as a medium, sit alongside contemporary art – is it about aesthetics, ritual, or something more primal?

JG: It’s all of it. Food and dining have always been art, ritual and theatre, but also elegance, restraint, and desire. A table can (should) be a canvas, a confession booth, or a stage. The act of eating is ancient and deeply sensual.

W*: The pop-up is within the Frieze fairground; how easy is it to find?

JG: We’ve kept it discreet and a little hidden. The entrance is quiet; you might miss it. Then, suddenly, you’re inside something that feels cinematic, tender, and slightly charged – a hush in the middle of the noise.

W*: What kind of conversations or moments do you hope will unfold in this space during Frieze London 2025?

JG: Private ones. The unexpected. Silences. I love the moment after a glass of wine has tipped over. We hope it invites people to slow down. To breathe and behave differently. To feel, even briefly, transported. Just being sexy is also fine.

W*: What was the initial spark for the design? And how was that idea interpreted through space, light, and form?

JG: I was drawn to spaces that feel both ancient and modern, yet also charged – both sensual and sacred. We began with shadows and light, not objects. Then we considered warmth and that cool Michael Mann blue as a memory. Rooms you half-remember from childhood or desire. Next, we searched for them in materials through our collaborators. I like to strip things back to their bones. The remaining elements evoke something else: a cave, a chapel, an interrogation room, a motel at dusk.

W*: Why were you particularly drawn towards sources such as prehistoric caves and Basic Instinct? How did they translate into the space?

JG: Caves were the first galleries. Flickering walls marked by hand, blood, or smoke. Basic Instinct is just another kind of cave. One speaks to ritual, the other to seduction. I wanted the space to hold both ends of that thread: the ancient and the erotic.

W*: What’s your favourite detail in the space? Something guests might miss unless they’re really looking.

JG: My favourite would be a cut-out shape inspired by my painting of the Barry Kieselstein-Cord jewellery piece that Catherine (Sharon Stone) wears in Basic Instinct. I was fascinated by this piece and its heavy shape. It reminds me of some of the early animal cave paintings. This piece appears in the space, but it’s not easy to spot.

W*: How does Abigail Hill’s menu echo or respond to the environment you’ve created?

JG: Abigail’s food is both restrained and elemental. She cooks with intuition and memory. The menu feels aligned with the space: seasonal, textural, quietly intense. Nothing is superfluous. Everything matters.

W*: Could you share more about the objects available for purchase?

JG: This definitely wasn’t about merchandise. They’re artefacts; limited pieces with an almost archaeological delivery. Ashtrays, vases, glass, stone, linen, cotton, paper – all made slightly off, slightly surreal.

The making process of these objects was of great interest, how that fitted into the studio practice of Cabin Studio and especially the desire to create this cave-like space. The highlight was getting to spend time with Anna and Grace from Completedworks, Jung from Drake’s, Charlie from Tekla, and Mans from Everynight studio. Listening to their thoughts and ideas. This is the beauty of the collaborative exercise.

The Sessions Arts Club at Frieze pop-up is open to all Frieze London ticket holders from 15 to 19 October 2025

There is something slightly subversive in the domestic. Behind the lace curtains, or the locked front door, there are private rituals and intimate habits we aren’t privy to. In the kitchen, we teeter between domestic goddess and boring functionality. Artist Leo Costelloe agrees. ‘I’m naturally drawn to themes that tread the line between aspirational fantasy and desperate reality, in the hopes of working something out for myself, or maybe for other people too,’ he says.

During Frieze in London, Irish-Australian artist Costelloe is bringing the kitchen, the essence of the home, to life in an exhibition at an exhibition presented by London-based gallery NEVEN at The Shop at Sadie Coles. With sculptural and photographic work, alongside an artist's book and editioned perfume, Costelloe creates an immersive, uncanny environment.

‘It is a meditation on the cyclical nature of that space, and of homelife and homemaking in general,’ he adds. ‘I liked the idea of focusing on the kinds of rhythms of the home that orchestrate everyday life, and recognising the home as a place of self-actualisation. The kitchen, with all its cultural pretence, felt like the best place to start. It encapsulates the tension between the burden and the beauty of caring for others and oneself in the most basic, daily, repetitive way, so that’s why it became my starting point for this show.’

In Costelloe’s kitchen, we recognise familiar items, but look again, and something is a little – off. There is a fork, but it is woven with human hair, a jug coated in fur, a pair of diamond-studded scissors. Homemaking here is overrun with fantasy, and it’s very impractical.

It also smells good. Costelloe worked with Mayet to create a perfume vessel sculpture, containing the scent of a lived-in kitchen, which is also available to buy. Scents of hot stove, compact powder, a polyester blouse – the kitchen may be empty of its inhabitants, but their presence is still palpable.

‘It’s my most autobiographical body of work to date, and the first time I’ve worked in the realm of scent,’ says Costelloe. ‘When I first started developing the show, I felt nervous about how different everything felt compared to my previous work. Everything is very confusing and can feel alien until you see it together, or at least that’s how it feels to me. But seeing it all installed was emotional. I recognised myself in it, and that means it’s all the same. I’m looking forward to the work hopefully staying with people. I think there’s a type of nostalgia or ghostliness to this show that might stick with you. Perhaps I’m most looking forward to everyone discovering they’re haunted too.’

Leo Costelloe: Kitchen until 1 November 2025 presented by NEVEN at The Shop at Sadie Coles HQ, London. The perfume will be available in a custom boxed edition of 20, produced in collaboration with Dean’s Bottom and Book Works, accompanied by a new publication featuring Costelloe’s writing and photography

nevengallery.com

This week, the British capital is dominated by an array of art moments as Frieze London 2025 sets up in its regular Regent’s Park location. Anchored by collectible design fair PAD, the design world is also putting on a spectacle, with exhibitions and pop-ups taking over galleries, shops and disused spaces across the city. Here, we round up the best design exhibitions to see in London during Frieze Week.

11 London design exhibitions to discover during Frieze Week

PAD, Berkeley Square

Among this year's PAD highlights, we are looking forward to discovering Faye Toogood's takeover of Friedman Benda's booth (more on that later this week), the delicate floral recreations by Junko Mori at Adrian Sassoon and these bold pieces from Gaetano Pesce's ‘Broadway’ series at Pulp Galerie.

14-19 October, Berkeley Square, W1J 6EN

‘Tomorrow’ by Fredrikson Stallard

The London-based duo return to David Gill Gallery with a collection of reflective pieces that invite us to 'explore the shifting relationship between perception and identity through the lens of beauty and constructed reality'. On display are polished steel sculptural objects that recreate a 'Hall of Mirrors' effect with distorted reflections and experimental forms. 'The folded surfaces [within] “Tomorrow” transform the act of observation into a discourse between the observer and the observed, a refracted exploration of how we see ourselves and the world around us,' they say, introducing the exhibition. 'We feel this to be a thoroughly timeless question yet interpreted in an entirely contemporary and relevant way, that is rooted in the world today and looking where we might end up in the future.'

'Tomorrow' is on view until 3 November 2025
David Gill Gallery, 2-4 King Street, SW1Y

‘Exercises in Seating 3’ by Max Lamb

Set in a former church hall in north-west London, Lamb's latest exhibition – ‘Exercises in Seating 3’ (read our interview) – reminds us of the designer's ability to create multiple experimental universes from one of design's most ubiquitous forms. The series of 30 chairs, created over a decade, reflects on the designer’s ongoing exploration of varied materials and production methods with particular attention to repurposing and recycling materials.

'Exercises in Seating 3' is on view until 3 November 2025
To visit, please email studio@maxlamb.org

Torn Together at Max Radford Gallery

Torn Together is a departure from Max Radford Gallery's usual London-centric curation, with a display of works by 4 European designers and a British photographer, including Nicolas Zanoni, Flora Lechner, Pauline Leprince, Victor Miklos Andersen, LS GOMMA and Kingsley Ifill. 'We have long wanted to highlight works from International designers we admire as well as more diverse practices from the UK, and after 5 years of focussing so much on London, it felt like the time to do it,' says Radford.

Torn Together is on view until 20 October 2025
11b Kingsland Road, E2 8AA, London

‘Two Rooms’ by Casa Milana

Milan-based studio Casa Milana has taken over two rooms at Lamb gallery and reimagines them as a domestic space. In the exhibition, guests can discover objects by studio co-founder Mario Milana, including collaborations with artist Sofia Cacciapaglia and rug maker Beni Rugs, the latter inspired by Italian and Moroccan terrazzo. Also on display are historical artworks by Wassily Kandinsky and contemporary sculptures by Filippo Salerni and Ayla Tavares, as well as 1920s blown-glass works by Vittorio Zecchin, produced by MVM Cappelin and Venini in Murano.

Casa Milana is open until spring 2026.
Lamb, 32 St George Street, W1S 2EA

JIG Studio launch

JIG Studio is a new design collective launching in London this week. Located in the heart of Soho, the collective will open a permanent two-storey showroom, serving as a design gallery, retail destination and cultural platform for Brazil’s most innovative talent.

25 Lexington St, W1F 9AG

‘Pacific’ by Jesse Schlesinger at Gallery Fumi

San Francisco-based artist and designer Jesse Schlesinger makes his Gallery Fumi debut with a series of objects that blur the boundary between sculpture and furniture. Made with traditional woodworking techniques that merge with other elements in bronze, ceramic, glass, steel, concrete, and paint, the designer's works are all made from locally sourced materials and reflect California's landscapes.

'Pacific' is on view until 29 November 2025
Gallery Fumi, 2-3 Hay Hill, London W1J 6AS

‘Take a Seat’ by Brigitta Spinocchia Freund at Harvey Nichols

Set within Harvey Nichols' new retail destination 125, 'Take a Seat' is a display by interior designer Brigitta Spinocchia Freund and PAD London, highlighting chair design by legendary makers and emerging talent. The 30 chairs on display include pieces by Jean Prouvé, Charlotte Perriand, Alvar Aalto and Maria Pergay. 'Chairs are among the most expressive and intimate forms of design,' says Spinocchia Freund. 'They hold the human body, but they also hold stories about materials, makers, and moments in time. With ‘‘Take a Seat”, I wanted to celebrate not only the icons we all revere, but also the next generation of makers who will shape the future.'

'Take a Seat' is on view until 5 January 2026
125, Harvey Nichols Knightsbridge, SW1X 7RJ

Ernst Gamperl and Frances Pinnock at Sarah Myerscough

Gallerist Sarah Myerscough debuts her new permanent home in London, a space set within a former school in Mayfair. A three-storey building dedicated to crafted arts, the gallery will develop over time with projects and collaborations to support craft in its different applications. For its opening, Myerscough curated an exhibition of works in wood by Ernst Gamperl (above) as well as leather and mixed media pieces by Frances Pinnock.

The Schoolhouse, 18 Balderton Street, Mayfair, W1K 6TG

Alexandre De Betak in London

Alexandre de Betak unveils his London Atelier, marking a new chapter in the French creative's practice. Debuting with an evolving artistic installation to welcome friends and visitors to the new studio, the space will become a platform for de Betak to start a new experiential exploration of his practice. His studio is still under construction, and the light installation turns it into both a workshop and an artwork.

By appointment only, to visit, email contact@takbestudio.com

Electric Kiln by Rajan Bijlani

In his exhibition ‘Electric Kiln’, collector Rajan Bijlani presents works by Frank Auerbach, Emmanuel Cooper, Lucie Rie, Pierre Jeanneret and Le Corbusier, curated in collaboration with 20th-century art and design specialist Michael Jefferson. Staged over the three floors of Fonthill Pottery in Primrose Hill (the former home of Cooper and now Bijlani's private residence), the exhibition explores the house's heritage and its surroundings. The titular electric kiln, Bijlani explains, 'acts as a metaphor: a symbol of metamorphosis in which the raw materials of London are tested, scorched and reborn'.

‘Electric Kiln’ is open by appointment only from 15 October-16 November 2025; to request a viewing please contact hello@rajanbijlani.com

Discovering new artists to love is easily the best part of Frieze, something that can occasionally get lost in the chaos. For the last couple of years, Frieze has underscored its importance with the brilliant Artist-to-Artist initiative, which sees established artists highlight their emerging or overlooked peers at their own solo exhibitions at the fair.

Now in its third year, the section has for the first time announced a partnership, with Tiffany & Co working alongside the art fair to provide Artist-to-Artist with support and funding which will see the six participating galleries receive direct financial assistance. This year’s solo presentations - Ilana Harris-Babou (Dreamsong), selected by Camille Henrot; Katherine Hubbard (Company Gallery), selected by Nicole Eisenman; Ana Segovia (Kurimanzutto), selected by Abraham Cruzvillegas; Neal Tait (Lungley Gallery), selected by Chris Ofili; René Treviño (Erin Cluley Gallery), selected by Amy Sherald; and T. Venkanna (Gallery Maskara), selected by Bharti Kher - will benefit from the initiative’s new direction.

‘Tiffany & Co.’s support allows us to expand the impact of Artist-to-Artist, a section that celebrates artistic community and exchange,’ says Eva Langret, Director of EMEA, Frieze. ‘By enabling direct funding to participating galleries, this partnership helps ensure that the artists’ visions are brought to life and seen by a global audience.’

For the six artists chosen this year, a mentorship opens up the possibility of new audiences and inspirations. Here, American and Senegalese contemporary artist Ilana Harris-Babou, chosen by Camille Henrot, tell us what showing her work at Frieze means to her.

Ilana Harris-Babou on Artist-to-Artist at Frieze

Your work, spanning mediums, resists easy classification. What draws you to a specific mode of expression?

My choice of medium is driven by the specific qualities that best serve an idea and my desire to connect with an audience. The immediacy of video, the tactility of sculpture, and time spent in community are all central to my practice.

When I’m in the studio, I’m often hopping between different modes of creation. I find that many of my initial ideas resist language and need to be worked through materially before I can fully understand what I’m trying to do. The color of a certain clay might surface memories of a particular intersection in my neighborhood. I’ll think of a song I heard someone playing from their car at that location and realize that the lyrics are deeply related to the sentiments in a video I’m editing. This cycle of rediscovery can only play out across materials.

Viewers discovering your work through familiar popular culture tropes and viral trends may be unprepared for the gentle subversion they are treated to. It is a juxtaposition, which runs throughout your works - what fascinates you about it?

I’m interested in exploring the messy moments when we can’t fully conform to systems of consumption. When our bodies feel unwieldy, or when they’re forced to rest, break down, or quit altogether. I investigate how we might misuse these systems in generative ways.

My ideas are shaped by the scale shift from domestic space to the public sphere. In my work, humour acts like the sugary coating on a Tylenol table: sweetening difficult discourse and helping to digest painful realities. I try to offer as many points of entry as possible to my audience. I seek to make art that is generous, challenging viewers while always giving more than it takes.

Can you tell us a bit about what you will be presenting at Frieze London?

For Frieze, I’m presenting the first experiment in what will hopefully become a broader body of work.

My work here takes Audre Lorde's poem, "A Litany for Survival," as a starting point to explore the friction and connection found in urban democratic spaces like subways, beaches, and parks. The centerpiece is a three-channel video, Njambat (Litany), which I shot in New York, London, and Senegal. It's modeled after the digital advertisements in the NYC subway, and the soundtrack features a reading of Lorde’s poem translated by my father into his native Wolof language.

Alongside the video are mosaic wall reliefs inspired by the subway system. One piece, Index, is a large relief made of hundreds of cast ceramic fingerprints and swipe gestures. The work explores the ways we move together in spite of fear. It is a celebration of the city and the improvisatory gestures of the people within it, seeking out moments of ephemeral expression and solidarity.

I was initially hesitant to show a video so personal and experimental in an art fair context. Now I’m excited to share the work with an international audience, to get feedback, and to continue the evolution of my ideas.

Frieze London from 15 - 19 October

Running for the hills

Anna Fixsen, US editor

This Sunday, I drove four hours outside of New York City to run the Guthrie Wineglass Marathon in the quaint town of Corning in the Finger Lakes region of New York state. No, there was not wine served along the 26.2-mile route (for that, you’ll have to head to France); the race gets its name for its coveted glass medals, an homage to the town’s status as a glass-making capital of the US (if you go, be sure to check out the Corning Museum of Glass designed by architect Thomas Phifer). While the weather wasn’t as cooperative as I would have liked (the temps peaked at a sweaty 26°C) the course was fast, the scenery epic and the crowd support inspiring. I cruised my way to a PR (marathon speak for ‘personal record’) and promptly made a beeline for – you guessed it – a glass of Finger Lakes Riesling.

A powerful debut

Sofia de la Cruz, travel editor

I’d been anticipating Harris Dickinson’s directorial debut, Urchin, and finally had the chance to watch it last night. The film offers a raw, intimate portrayal of a young rough sleeper in east London, struggling to rebuild his life while battling a tendency toward self-destructive behaviour. It’s a deeply empathetic exploration of cycles, faith, and the complex journey of sobriety. Rather than romanticising hardship, Urchin presents a brutally honest narrative. Dickinson’s profound understanding of social realism shines through every frame.

A mechanical wonderland

Ellie Stathaki, architecture & environment director

A visit to the new Power Hall in Manchester on Monday reminded me how much I love science museums. ‘I like a noisy gallery,’ the museum director, Sally MacDonald, told me – and you know what? I think I do too. There are large locomotives, some older, some newer, and the world’s first passenger station is on site. There’s also a whole new eco-friendly heating system, with its pipes and equipment on full display for all to see and celebrate (thank you for the tour, Iain Shaw!). Big machines, refined architecture by the lovely Carmody Groarke, and an upcoming new public space will no doubt be well received by locals and visitors alike.

A Frieze countdown

Hannah Silver, art, culture, watches & jewellery editor

London is gearing up for Frieze which means exhibitions are opening everywhere. I’ve been lucky to see some brilliant artists’ works this week, from Joy Gregory at the Whitechapel Gallery to Marina Abramovich at Saatchi Yates, Nicolas Party at Hauser & Wirth and Lee Miller at Tate Britain. I particularly loved Wayne Thiebaud’s gorgeously painted American pies at the Courtauld – don’t miss it!

A reflective publication

Gabriel Annouka, senior designer

I had the pleasure of attending the launch of Are You Comfortable Yet? at ArtHub, New Cross, where Em—Dash – a South London publishing studio founded by Saundra Liemantoro and Aarushi Matiyan – presented their latest publication. The creative duo worked alongside artist Anahita Harding, translating her durational performances (of the same name) into print without losing their sense of tension or scale. Blueprints, signage, and architectural fragments sit alongside drawings of bodies and text, making the book feel less like documentation and more like an encounter, while prompting reflection on who public spaces are built for and how bodies move through them.

A recalibrating album

Jamilah Rose-Roberts, social media editor

I wasn’t able to make it down to CKTRL’s recent concert at London’s ICA, as I was tied to my desk with both work and personal commitments, but his new album has been on repeat in my headphones since its release. Spirit is music that settles in the body, recalibrates the breath, and restores focus. Each track feels composed to be absorbed as much as heard – a current of sound that restores balance from within.

Bradley Miller, known artistically as CKTRL, announced his debut album Spirit a few months ago. With its arrival, he released ‘Rush’, a single that draws together the emotional threads woven throughout the record. Spirit is his first full-length work since 2022’s Yield, and it carries the sensation of something refined over time – another project distilled through patience, sharpened by reflection, and charged with clarity. Guided by bell hooks’ words, ‘Healing is an act of communion’, Spirit turns toward connection as its foundation.

I first encountered CKTRL years ago in a dimly lit Shoreditch House set. In the famous 'Library', a modest crowd gathered – yet the performance was spellbinding. He drew silence into the space and made it resound. That intimacy remains in Spirit; it is a record that expands slowly, allowing each phrase to unfold with patience.

Listening to it is a delicious experience: strings that rise and dissolve, melodies sculpted with precision, arrangements that hold weight and openness in equal measure. It is music for communion – with oneself, with others, with the possibility of healing.

Spirit is available now – listen on Spotify or Apple Music.

This year’s edition of Frieze Sculpture in Regent's Park, London, brings together works by 14 artists from around the globe. Curated by Fatos Üstek, it’s the first time the exhibition has followed a theme, and the result is a stronger sense of cohesion, where works seem to speak not only to their surroundings but to each other.

‘In the Shadows’ invites artists to explore ideas of absence and ancestry, loss and transformation. Many of the works reflect on ecological collapse and the pressures of contemporary life, but there is also a sense of joy and hope in the conjuring of folkloric figures and effigies, an effort to connect with nature and ourselves. Here are five of our favourites.

Requiem (The Last Call) by Reena Saini Kallat

Kallat invites visitors to step onto a platform to listen to the calls of bird species that have become extinct, playing out through two horn-like structures. The horns were inspired by early 20th-century wartime listening devices that were used for tracking the sound of enemy aircraft, but they also resemble hunting horns or a pair of giant binoculars, depending on how you approach them. It’s an incredibly beautiful and moving piece – as I stood there, a bird in a nearby tree seemed to be calling out, responding to the echoes of the lost song.

When I Remember Through You by Grace Schwindt

Schwindt’s ceramic and bronze figure is caught in a process of transformation or decomposition – emerging from or returning to the earth. The head, fallen to one side, is cradled by a structure seemingly growing up out of the ground, while vines wrap up around one of the legs. It has both an uncanny and ancient presence, as if it had always been part of the park’s landscape.

Auguries (Lament) by Andy Holden

Auguries (Lament) is a trio of totemic wooden sculptures positioned on telegraph poles. Each piece visually translates the song of a vanishing bird – the cuckoo, the nightingale and the crow, who isn’t endangered but serves here as a messenger – captured through 3D technology. It feels more dystopian than Kallet’s Requiem – a vision of a silenced landscape.

Fibredog by Assemble

Within the context of a ‘serious’ art exhibition, a giant dog made out of straw, thatch and timber, bearing a striking resemblance to a shaggy, long-nosed lurcher, feels intentionally silly and therefore a lot of fun. It’s a work, made by architecture, art and design collective Assemble in collaboration with UniFor and Plinth, that harks back to folkloric customs and community-made art, to dancing around fires and drinking mead. When you stand beneath the dog’s belly you can smell the straw.

Ghost (Substitutes) by Erwin Wurm

Wurm’s electric blue sculpture of an empty, crumpled suit is one of the largest in the exhibition. Positioned between the trees, just in front of one of the grand buildings that surround the park, it looks like an anti-monument to consumerism and macho culture. Its feet are firmly planted but if you look closely, it seems as if it’s on the verge of keeling over – it made me think of the hundreds of suited people silently commuting to and from work, of the impossible demands our professional lives put on us. Later, when I looked across the lawn, a man was lying at its feet, doing press-ups.

Frieze Sculpture is in Regent's Park until 2 November

Art Week is back, and London is ready. There are 168 galleries represented at Frieze London 2025, but our handy list of highlights should avoid overwhelm. It's all going on outside of the main event in Regent's Park too, with the opening of several new galleries and private spaces adding spice to the city’s art-world ecosystem. Look out for beloved London stalwarts Maureen Paley, Modern Art, and Sadie Coles HQ, which are all opening new spaces, as well as the mighty Hauser & Wirth, which is opening a new flagship space in spring 2026.

Elsewhere, Ibraaz, founded by Lina Lazaar to showcase and support art from the Global South, launches during Frieze Week in Fitzrovia, and Chinese art collector and philanthropist Yan Du will open a non-profit space later in the month. 'London’s art scene has an energy that feels impossible to replicate – it’s roaring with new ideas, bold initiatives and international investment,' says Eva Langret, director of Frieze EMEA. 'From major institutional expansions to a wave of ambitious young galleries and exciting new spaces like Sadie Coles, Maureen Paley, Rose Easton and Modern Art, the city continues to prove itself as one of the world’s most dynamic cultural ecosystems.'

But what should you see? Make sure to bookmark our guide, below.

• See more: design exhibitions at Frieze 2025

The Focus section puts artists first

Frieze London 2025 will be keeping the fair’s new design, placing the up-and-coming Focus section at the front of the fair. At the entrance three, separate special presentations will welcome you, and this year Focus will showcase a host of London-based and international artists – look out for next-big-things Gray Wielebinski, Xin Liu, Rafał Zajko, Jan Gatewood, Delaine Le Bas and Eunjo Lee.

Art stars choose their favourite artists

In the Artist-to-Artist project, famous artists select other artists they admire to show their work at the fair. This year we are looking forward to Chris Ofili platforming Neal Tait; René Treviño, who was nominated by Amy Sherald; and Ilana Harris-Babou, selected by Camille Henrot. Also on view will be work by Katherine Hubbard, chosen by Nicole Eisenman; and T Venkanna, nominated by Bharti Kher.

Blue-chip galleries bring their best

This year we are particularly looking forward to Lehmann Maupin presenting work by Do Ho Suh (who also has a retrospective at Tate Modern, until 19 October), and Gagosian, which will be showing Lauren Halsey. Don't miss Modern Art's Sanya Kantarovsky exhibition, and Edel Assanti's presentation, which includes a work by Julianknxx that's making its UK debut.

Tapping into the moment with conscious curating

A new addition to the fair is the Echoes in the Present section, curated by Jareh Das and looking at artists who are creating an impact in the modern world. Highlighted is the relationship between Africa and Brazil dating back to the transatlantic slave trade, including work by Bunmi Agusto, Diambe and Serigne Mbaye Camara.

No.9 Cork Street

Frieze’s gallery, No.9 Cork St, will be hosting Zaam Arif with India’s Vadehra Art Gallery; Ibrahim El Dessouki with Saudi Arabia's Hafez Gallery; and a group exhibition of Central Asian and Caucasus artists with Russia’s Artwin Gallery. Excitingly, work reflects the swathe of new biennials and spaces that opened internationally this summer.

Frieze Masters

This year, the major change at the fair is the arrival of the new head of Frieze Masters, Emanuela Tarizzo. Frieze Masters is popular with artists as well as collectors for the unique opportunity to view works that may vanish into private hands for a lifetime. Galleries present works and artefacts from ancient history up to the beginning of the 20th century, which means we can see pieces that span from priceless dinosaur bones to stunning examples of ancient sculpture, illuminated manuscripts and rare books. Frieze Masters is also an opportunity to get ahead on upcoming market trends, as galleries introduce artists from history to art lovers and collectors.

‘Amidst ubiquitous contemporary fairs across the world, Frieze Masters feels distinct. When you’re walking its aisles, there’s no mistaking where you are! Its cornucopia of exquisite works of art from the past hundreds of years provides an expansive harvest against which to relish superb contemporary art,' says curator Sheena Wagstaff, chair emerita, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Connecting to London’s biggest shows

Kó, a gallery from Lagos, is bringing a solo booth of work by Yoruba artist Prince Twins Seven-Seven (1944-2011) to chime with Tate Modern’s autumn Nigerian Modernism exhibition (opening 8 October). Showing a range of works from the 1950s through to the 1970s, Kó is giving the artist posthumous credit as part of the fair’s Spotlight section. We are looking forward to Soft Opening's presentation, including a solo show by artist Ebun Sopido, who explores trans history on the African continent through new works.

A deeper approach to curating in the marketplace

The Studio section, curated by Wagstaff with Margrethe Troensegaard, connects contemporary artists with historical practices. This year the section will feature Dorothy Cross, Anju Dodiya, Glenn Brown, Samia Halaby, RH Quatyman and Anne Rothstein.

'The artists specially invited to participate in Studio with a monographic booth each have a radical spirit; they demonstrate that the nature of history and stories over time is less of a linear progression than a cyclical negotiation,' says Wagstaff.

Book Frieze London tickets here.

Frieze Seoul is back for its fourth edition, returning to COEX from 3-6 September 2025, running alongside Kiaf, South Korea’s leading art fair. Located in the heart of Gangnam at K-POP Square, the 2025 iteration of Frieze Seoul features presentations from over 120 galleries from more than 30 countries, plus a programme of performance art, film, talks, and artist projects. Gallerists, collectors, curators, artists, along with a K-pop star or two will travel there to immerse themselves in Seoul’s robust art scene.

‘Frieze serves as both a catalyst and an anchor for the city,’ Frieze Seoul director Patrick Lee told Wallpaper*. ‘The energy during the week, the engagement with a global audience, and the interaction between galleries, collectors, curators, and museums is deeply rewarding. Being a platform that connects people in support of artists and their work is at the heart of what we do. Ultimately, seeing this mission activate an entire city and continue to thrive each year is incredibly inspiring.’

From new galleries to around town, what to see at Frieze Seoul 2025

Inside the fair

Nearly two dozen galleries will exhibit at the fair for the first time, including Leo Gallery (Shanghai), Dirimart (Istanbul), and ThisWeekendRoom (Seoul). New York’s Carvalho will present its inaugural Frieze Seoul stand, a solo exhibition of works by London-based artist Yulia Iosilzon, whose dreamy paintings were influenced by the Greek myth of Echo and Narcissus. Meanwhile, Los Angeles-based Make Room is showing Xin Liu, Sun Woo, Pia Ortuño, and Linn Meyers for its Frieze Seoul debut.

The Korean galleries have a stellar line-up; Kukje Gallery will show the breadth of Korean and Korean diaspora artists, from key Dansaekwha masters Park Seo-Bo and Ha Chong-Hyun to contemporary artists such as Haegue Yang, along with Byron Kim and Michael Joo. Gallery Hyundai will present three pivotal Korean artists: Chung Sang-Hwa, John Pai, and Kim Bohie.

Women will dominate the booth at San Francisco’s Jessica Silverman, with a presentation of four female artists: Andrea Bowers, Clare Rojas, Davina Semo, and Chelsea Ryoko Wong. Mind Set Art Center will also highlight women artists, with ‘Chora: A Feminine Space’ – featuring Juin Shieh, Ana Maria Micu, Marina Cruz, Lo Yi-Chun, Lee Jo-Mei and Yang Yu-Ning – exploring female identity and memory through a cross-generational selection.

Global galleries

The wide range of global galleries will show a mixed bag of emerging and established artists from their roster. Lehmann Maupin will show Korean artists Do Ho Suh (currently showing at Tate Modern in London) and Sung Neung Kyung alongside rising artists Anna Park and Tammy Nguyen. Sprüth Magers will feature a large-scale wall work by Robert Morris as one of the central pieces, as well as the gallery’s most important artists – George Condo, John Baldessari, Jenny Holzer, and Rosemarie Trockel, and new additions Gala Porras-Kim and Mire Lee. Esther Schipper’s booth will show Yeesookyung, Ryan Gander, Ugo Rondinone, and Simon Fujiwara. Massimo De Carlo will show a mix of works for a cross-generational group of artists, Alighiero Boetti, Paola Pivi, and Dominique Fung. Almine Rech will spotlight prominent Korean artists such as Ha Chong-Hyun, Kim Tschang-Yeul, and Kim Yong-Ik, along with historical works by John Giorno, and contemporary artists Chloe Wise and Claire Tabouret.

Hauser & Wirth is also showing a cross-generational mix, including artworks by Louise Bourgeois and Cathy Josefowitz with contemporary artists Jeffrey Gibson, Rashid Johnson, Rita Ackermann, Avery Singer, and Mark Bradford. Historic works by Adolph Gottlieb and Yoo Youngkuk will be the main attractions at Pace, which will also show Elmgreen & Dragset, Alicja Kwade, Kylie Manning, and Adam Pendleton. David Zwirner will show photographs by Wolfgang Tillmans (who also has an exhibition at the Centre Pompidou in Paris) and mini Lisa Yuskavage, artists from its roster who both currently have museum shows (Tillmans at the Centre Pompidou in Paris). Takashi Murakami will be the focal point of the group show at Gagosian.

Frieze Masters

Frieze Masters returns with concise presentations that connect eras – from rare manuscripts to late-20th-century highlights. Standouts include: Regis Krampf Gallery’s post-Cubist Georges Braque canvases (such as Les Rougets, 1937 and Baigneuse II, 1930-31); Hakgojae’s nine-artist homage to the 18th-century moon jar (from KIM Whanki and Park Soo Keun to Nam June Paik and Yun Suknam); Les Enluminures’ show of illuminated treasures and jewelled rarities (a 14th-century Roman de la Rose – an allegorical poem – a Golconda diamond court necklace, an emerald ring possibly from Muzo); Tokyo Gallery + BTAP’s Mono-ha/Dansaekhwa dialogue (Koji Enokura, Park Seo-Bo, Kumi Sugai); Gana Art’s Oh Su-Fan God of Valley series; Spurs Gallery’s solo exhibition of German artist Ulay (including early actions, Auto-Polaroids, and Relation Works with Marina Abramović); Mazzoleni’s post-war Italians (Bonalumi, Castellani, Pistoletto, Salvo); and Asia Art Center’s rare post-war Taiwanese works by Chu Weibor, Ju Ming, and Yuyu Yang.

And finally – don't miss these institutional exhibitions during Frieze Seoul Week

After a stint at Hamburger Bahnhof in autumn 2024, the Mark Bradford retrospective ‘Keep Walking’ is currently on view at the Amorepacific Museum of Art (APMA), through January 2026.

At the Leeum Museum of Art in the Yongsan District, multidisciplinary artist Lee Bul will open a major retrospective spanning four decades, from the 1980s to the present.

Adrián Villar Rojas will present his first solo exhibition in Korea, ‘The Language of the Enemy’ at Art Sonje Center, deconstructing the institutional structure of the museum through one monumental sculpture.

The late Kim Tschang-Yeul, one of South Korea’s most prominent contemporary artists, known for blending Western modernism with a Korean perspective, has a retrospective on view through December 2025 at the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul (MMCA).

South Korea’s first major Louise Bourgeois exhibition in 25 years opens at the Ho-Am Art Museum in Yongin. Expect to see the late artist's diaries and psychoanalytic notes, along with her earlier works.

The Seoul Mediacity Biennale explores the intersection of technology and spirituality through artists like Nam June Paik, Hilma af Klint, Joseph Beuys, and Mike Kelley at the Seoul Museum of Art through November 2025.

Hugo Marchand and Hannah O’Neill will celebrate the opening of Frieze Seoul 2025 with a performance at Paradise Art Night.

Hosted by Paradise City, the art-entertainment resort next to Seoul's Incheon Airport, the show continues the hotel’s tradition of art happenings, installations, and live events – at last year’s Paradise CIty Frieze party, Pharrell Williams and South Korean rapper G-Dragon hosted a special sale with digital-first auction house Joopiter.

With public area rooms featuring over 3,000 artworks by Yayoi Kusama, Damien Hirst, Anish Kapoor, Jeff Koons and KAWS, displayed alongside work by prominent Korean artists Lee Bae, Park Seo-Bo, Kim Hodeuk and Kim Tschang-Yeul, the collection reflects Paradise City’s owner Phillip Chun’s passion for both contemporary and global talent. Ranked amongst ArtNews’ top 200 collectors worldwide, Chun imagines the hotel as both exhibition and gallery. ‘A hub of new Asian modern and contemporary art where Korean and global cultures are brought together.’

Now entering its fourth iteration, Frieze Seoul attracts 120 galleries from all over the world, Paradise City’s launch event this year previews work by America’s Joel Mesler at the hotel’s Art Space gallery, prior to the ballet performance.

This isn’t the first time Marchand and O’Neill have danced to contemporary art. In 2021, they presented an original choreography set among Anselm Kiefer's Field of the Cloth of Gold exhibition at Gagosian's Le Bourget, France. Prior to the event at Paradise Art Night Hugo Marchand will take to the stage at Palais des Papes, Avignon to collaborate with Jean-Michel Othoniel for "Midnight Souls" accompanying the French artist’s OTHONIEL COSMOS or the Ghosts of Love exhibition.

While bringing the French style of ballet to Korea, the dancer says he looks forward to being nurtured and inspired by what he witnesses in Korea. ‘I am very sensitive and depending on where I’m on earth, I feel a very different kind of vibration, touching the trees, ground, and soil,’ says Hugo Marchand. ‘I am looking forward to seeing how I feel in Korea.’

Art fairs are vital for artists to sell their work as well as forge connections in the art world. But said art world is also notoriously opaque, with legacy fairs such as Art Basel and Frieze showcasing some of the most influential names on the planet.

So what of emerging and independent artists? There are corners of the industry carved out for them, allowing them a platform away from the towering competition. ‘Spaces for emerging artists are essential, offering visibility and connections to those that are often overlooked in favour of established, market-safe names,’ says John Russo, CEO of London-based Maddox Gallery. ‘Emerging artists bring the risk, energy and innovation that keeps the art world dynamic. Supporting them isn’t just essential, it’s a strategic investment in the future of art.’

Alternative art fairs can showcase experimental work and allow artists to connect with collectors, critics and curators hoping to unearth the ‘next big thing’. Russo advises these collectors to peruse smaller shows, ‘[engaging] directly with the artists to build meaningful connections’, which is exactly what these fairs allow attendees to do.

From the artists’ perspective, smaller or specialist art fairs mean the single most important thing: visibility. ‘Make yourself impossible to ignore,’ suggests Russo. ‘Regularly update your portfolio and engage with your audience. Persistence will keep you visible in a crowded art world.’ These fairs may also offer specific support to new artists in the form of programmes or promotion; a dedicated space for lower-priced art; and the ability to sell directly, meaning that gallery representation is not a prerequisite.

Read on to discover some of the best art fairs for emerging artists, which are paving the way for the next generation.

Affordable Art Fair

There are multiple editions of the Affordable Art Fair held throughout the year at locations in 13 cities across the UK, Europe, the US, Australia and Asia, with nearly 220,000 attendees each year. The fair is driven by the idea that art should be accessible, with work available from £100. Although it showcases both established and emerging talents, the lower price point makes it a particularly attractive proposition for the latter, allowing smaller artists to build an audience without having to compete with those in higher-priced markets. The fair also allows artists to make direct sales, opening the door to those without gallery representation.

affordableartfair.com

Art Space Art Fair

Art Space Art Fair claims to be ‘reshaping the art world’ with an approach that puts artists first. Exhibiting in Monaco, London, Dubai and a handful of Spanish cities, the fair says that it ‘goes beyond the standard fare’ in ensuring that artists are property recognised and compensated, unlike traditional art fairs where ‘trade margins and industry conventions often take priority’.

The art here is alternative, challenging trends and convention, making it hospitable to artists that don’t fit the mainstream. As a result, Art Space Art Fair prides itself on ‘bringing fresh perspectives to the global art scene’, which attracts galleries, collectors and enthusiasts looking to discover new voices.

artspacefairs.com

The Other Art Fair

The Other Art Fair prides itself on being ‘bizarre, unexpected, and never normal’, exhibiting boundary-pushing, affordable art and creating an atmosphere where everyone ‘belongs’. This attracts under-the-radar artists, as does the fact that the fair facilitates direct sales to collectors, offering artists more control over their sales. The Other Art Fair also provides comprehensive support to artists, including fully-built booths and promotion through its platforms, and has a dedicated New Futures programme that lends extra support to first-time exhibitors.

The Other Art Fair has exhibited over 10,000 artists and 100,000 artworks across its seven cities of operation (Brooklyn, Chicago, Dallas, London, LA, Melbourne and Sydney). Each of the fairs is different, but all are united by a desire to make an art fair an experience, with DJs, bars, performances and the odd tattoo or taxidermy class thrown in.

theotherartfair.com

SPRING/BREAK Art Show

SPRING/BREAK Art Show showcases untraditional art in unexpected environments, namely historically-significant spaces in New York and Los Angeles, like former schools, post offices and factories. These temporary galleries juxtapose with the contemporary art on display.

These exhibitions are either free or low-cost, ensuring that emerging artists are not priced out. SPRING/BREAK Art Show also has a curator-driven structure, which ensures a diverse range of artistic perspectives: artworks that address social and political issues, rather than simply catering to the demands of the market, are actively encouraged. The fair also helps the visibility of emerging artists by displaying all of the available artworks online.

springbreakartshow.com

New Artist Fair

The New Artist Fair was established in London in 2011 and has since been exhibiting the work of recently-established and emerging artists from the UK and beyond. The fair, which takes place in east London’s Truman Brewery, is artist-run, allowing them control over how their art is promoted and sold. The fair provides plenty of support for artists, including information packs and promotional materials.

Again, the price point is entry-level, with work priced from £50 to £2,000, and artists sell their work directly to buyers. The low barrier to entry allows exhibitors to get their name out there, with many securing gallery representation after participating. The aim, says the fair, is to make buying and selling artwork easier and more cost-effective for both sides.

newartistfair.com

Frieze Los Angeles, the premiere art fair on America’s west coast, is returning for its sixth edition, running 20-23 February. The fair will see an impressive roster of over 100 galleries flock to the city, including an international cohort from over 20 countries, as well as local dealers showcasing the most coveted names in contemporary art. Transforming the grounds of the historic Santa Monica Airport with an exhibition space designed by Kulapat Yantrasast’s architectural studio WHY, the fair will also host an impressive presentation of site-specific installations curated by Art Production Fund that feature artists like Lita Albuquerque and Madeline Hollander exploring the culture and landscape of LA.

Frieze is taking place just over a month after the city faced some of the most destructive wildfires in California’s history, devastating entire communities and claiming nearly 30 lives. Included among the thousands affected are dozens of artists who lost their homes and studios. Several local dealers, artists and museum leaders supported the return of Frieze and concurrent events like Felix Art Fair as part of an effort to foster the city’s revival. Frieze and other cultural institutions have also joined forces to launch the LA Arts Community Fire Relief Fund, which raised over $12 million to support those impacted by the fires.

Organised in two sections–Galleries featuring seasoned dealers and Focus showcasing solo booths presented by ventures launched in or after 2013–the fair offers one of the best opportunities to discover leading names in art today.

Kelly Akashi

In the Galleries section, several booths stand out, including that of global powerhouse Lisson Gallery, which will bring works by several names on its roster, including Kelly Akashi. The artist, who creates stunning sculptures that combine materials like glass, bronze, rope and candles and often feature casts of hands and elements of the natural world, is one of several LA residents who lost their homes and studios during the wildfires. The gallery will also open a solo exhibition of Akashi’s work on February 20 at its West Hollywood location. As resilient as she is talented, Akashi has been working steadily to make new pieces for the show, as many were lost in the fire.

April Bey

A staple of the city’s art scene for over twenty years, Vielmetter Los Angeles is staging a solo booth of LA-based, Bahamian-American artist April Bey, whose multidisciplinary practice blends pop culture, social media and Afrofuturism to investigate colonial systems and constructs of race. Her vibrant, mixed-media figurative works on view will include We Will Not Apologize for Being the Universe; Our Own Constellation. Don’t You Know Light Lives in Dark Places Too?, 2024, a stunning portrait of four Black women made with jacquard woven textiles, sherpa blanket, giant clothespins and beads and spanning over 20-feet long.

“April’s fundamentally joyful vision of our collective future will be a welcome experience for our audience in this difficult and dark time,” Susanne Vielmetter tells Wallpaper*. Like other LA dealers, Vielmetter views the fair’s decision to move forward as crucial for the city. “The fires have shown us how fragile our world is and LA needs the support of the art world now more than ever,” she says. “Frieze has been the first and only fair that has brought a truly international audience to our city and we know that we can recover if this support continues.”

Rebecca Campbell

Also a pioneer of the local scene, L.A. Louver will present five LA artists, including Rebecca Campbell, whose oil paintings on view exemplify her thick, intense brushstrokes and range of subjects from dreamy portraits to dramatic landscapes. In its gallery in nearby Venice, L.A. Louver is reflecting on its own role in the creative growth of the city with a group show, “L.A. Louver Celebrates 50 Years: 1975 to Now,” on view through June 14.

Catherine Wagner

Nearby in Jessica Silverman’s booth, the San Francisco-based gallery will showcase a selection of new works by Sadie Barnette exploring politics, civil rights and the Black femme experience, including a graphite and coloured pencil drawing that reads “good people,” alongside pieces by Atsushi Kaga, Rose B. Simpson and Catherine Wagner, among others.

Shaniqwa Jarvis

For the Focus section, which affords younger businesses with the opportunity to exhibit at a subsidised rate, a promising selection of dealers stands out. Indeed, the section, which was curated for a second time by Essence Harden and sponsored by the luxury fashion brand Stone Island, often features breakout stars of the fair. This year, several local galleries shine for their noteworthy displays, including LA-based Sow & Tailor’s booth featuring Shaniqwa Jarvis, who creates mixed media works and photography that explore memory, identity and shared experiences. With stunning hues of fuchsia, the photographic collage I'm So Allergic, 2023 features portraits of a young child and images of flowers overlaid with a white, lacy pattern, altering the viewer’s perception and creating an ethereal air.

February James

Another highlight will be the nomadic Superposition Gallery, which is showing a curated solo booth of Washington, D.C.-based artist February James. Titled 'A Matter of Belief,' the display features raw portraits that consider systems of belief and are inspired by Chinese philosopher Zhuangzi’s “Butterfly Dream,” in which he dreamt that he was a butterfly and woke up to find himself still a man, leaving him unsure whether he’s a man dreaming of being a butterfly or a butterfly dreaming of being a man.

Helmut Lang

As always, with the influx of collectors and creatives in the city, local organizations are staging buzzworthy presentations to bring visitors through their doors. This year’s top draws includes 'What remains behind,' iconic artist Helmut Lang’s first solo institutional show in the city, which will fill the early modernist rooms of the Schindler House at the MAK Center for Art and Architecture with abstract steel sculptures.

Whether you come for the fair or the robust offerings around town, this year’s LA art week will undoubtedly be a testament to the vibrancy of the city’s creative community and a positive way to jumpstart its revival.

Frieze Los Angeles runs 20-23 February at the Santa Monica Airport

From September 18th to October 27th 2024, the artworks of 22 international artists will be displayed across Regent’s Park. The 12th edition of Frieze Sculpture coincides with Frieze London and Frieze Masters, which take place from October 9th to 13th, also within Regent’s Park. Visitors will have free access to the park to explore the collection, selected by curator Fatoş Üstek.

The artworks, varied in style, material, and origin, collectively evoke a dreamlike sense of enchantment, often with playful and ironic undertones.

Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim’s The Form (2024) combines archetypal shapes and vibrant colours to elicit not only a childlike sense of wonder but also deeper reflections on the psyche and our surroundings.

Frances Goodman’s totemic sculptures Pillar IV and Pillar V (2024), resembling stacks of colourful pills, offer a satirical commentary on the ubiquity of pharmaceutical consumption in contemporary society.

The works at Frieze Sculpture push the boundaries of what sculptural art can be today, moving beyond classical forms into interactive and performative realms.

An inattentive visitor may easily be fooled by Albano Hernández’s illusory piece The Shadow (2024), which uses water-based grass paint to create the image of a tree’s shadow on the ground. This playful yet thought-provoking piece alludes to the ecological challenges we face.

Fani Parali’s otherworldly sculptural, acoustic, and performative work AONYX and DREPAN (2020) reminds us of the vastness of time and our responsibility to the world during our brief stay in it.

Libby Heaney’s sculptural and immersive installation Ent- (non-earthly delights) (2024) delves into the potential risks of integrating quantum technologies into everyday life, while drawing connections to Hieronymus Bosch’s The Garden of Earthly Delights. Through refractive surfaces and QR codes, visitors can catch a glimpse of what the non-binary logic of the quantum world might look like.

Frieze Sculpture takes visitors on a surreal journey through Regent’s Park’s English gardens, reminding us of our inextricable connection to the natural world - just as Nathan Coley’s illuminated sign from 2022 poignantly declares: 'I Don’t Have Another Land'.

It has been said that Frieze makes for better style spotting than fashion week, in part down to its glut of high net-worth attendees and their expensive tastes (you can tell by the handbags). Indeed, there is no escaping that the past decade has seen fashion and art become near-inseparable bedfellows, thanks to a slew of artist collaborations, sponsored exhibitions and art-fair takeovers – a relationship which continues this week with the arrival of the Frieze London 2024, open for previews in Regents Park today (9 October).

For a start, Stone Island will be the sponsor of Frieze Focus for a second year running – a scheme to help young galleries exhibit at the fair via a series of bursaries – while British heritage house Dunhill supports another edition of the always illuminating Frieze Masters Talks. Away from the tent, Loewe reveals an artist-led collaboration to celebrate Studio Voltaire (as well as the week’s most anticipated after-party this evening), 16Arlington’s Marco Capaldo curates a deeply felt exhibition on the subject of memory at Frieze No. 9 Cork Street, and Margaret Howell will host an exhibition on the work of Lucienne Day at its Wigmore Street store. Plus, Sarabande brings its anarchic spirit to a Carlos Place pop-up.

Here, Wallpaper* selects the best fashion happenings to add to your Frieze London 2024 schedule.

Stone Island continues its global sponsorship of Frieze

Stone Island will continue its global sponsorship of Frieze at this year’s edition of the fair, supporting 34 on-the-rise gallerists as part of Frieze Focus (to be a part of the scheme, your gallery must have been founded less than 12 years ago, with Stone Island offering a bursary to help cover the cost of exhibiting). Not only this, Stone Island has created a T-shirt adorned with ‘Artificial Sun’ by Nat Faulkner, represented by Frieze Focus gallery Brunette Coleman, which will be worn by staff across the site as a way to spotlight new talent. ‘Our partnership with Frieze highlights the importance of creative communities at the heart of Stone Island,’ says Robert Triefus, CEO of Stone Island. ‘We support emerging artists and gallerists in meaningful ways, both in sponsoring Frieze Focus, and in amplifying the work of artists through our exclusive T-shirt series.’ The uniform T-shirt will be the third such project as part of Stone Island’s international sponsorship of Frieze, and will be released alongside a short film by Faulkner.

Frieze Focus is part of Frieze London 2024, which runs from 9 to 13 October 2024 at Regents Park, London

Dunhill supports an illuminating series of conversations at Frieze Masters

There is always something appealing about the relative calm of the Frieze Masters tent, which operates more at the hushed volume of a library than the noisy hubbub of the main space next door. Even more tranquil is the space carved out by Dunhill to host a series of conversations, the so-called ‘Frieze Masters Talks’, which brings together a series of artists, cultural commentators and writers to discuss a variety of topics related to the state of the art world and the creative process (the program is always one of the week’s highlights). Curated by the creative advisor of Frieze Masters, Sheena Wagstaff and head of visual arts for the Barbican, Shanay Jhaveri, this years participants include Jeremy Deller, Nathalie du Pasquier, Ming Smith, Glenn Lowry Lou Stoppard and Zoe Whitley, each broadly addressing the subject of the ‘Creative Mind’ in the wide-ranging series.

‘[This year] we wanted to move from the idea of “talk” to “conversation”,’ Wagstaff tells Wallpaper*. 'Transforming something which is generally very one-sided into something more open-ended. One of our prerequisites was to have an artist in each conversation; the questions that artists are wrestling with, in the studio and outside of it, are foundational ones for all of us, and not to be neatly answered.’ Adds Jhaveri: ‘We are excited about these combinations of voices and we’re looking forward to seeing how their sensibilities align – or diverge!’

Seats can be secured on Frieze’s website, where you can also discover the full programme. For those unable to attend in person, the conversations will be released as a special podcast series this November.

16Arlington’s Marco Capaldo turns curator for new London show

‘Fashion or art? It doesn’t have to be one or the other,’ 16Arlington designer Marco Capaldo told Wallpaper’s Mary Cleary about his curation of a new art exhibition at London’s Frieze No.9 Cork Street gallery which opened last week to coincide with Frieze London. Titled ’Memories of the Future’ and presented by Almine Rech, the group exhibition spans both blockbuster artists (Andy Warhol; John Giorno) and a roster of up-and-coming talent, including Rhea Dillon, George Rouy and Jesse Pollock (a work by the last also appeared as part of the set for Capaldo’s S/S 2025 runway show, held at London Fashion Week last month).

‘I've always been really intrigued by the way our memories are altered by change as we move forward into our futures,’ Capaldo says of the exhibition, which is inspired by his own relationship to memory after the loss of his 16Arlington co-founder and partner Federica ‘Kikka’ Cavenati in 2021. ‘I think so many tools exist in this modern world to capture memories in their accuracy and I really wanted to investigate that. But in addition, I also really wanted to investigate the subjectivity behind memories.’ Read more

‘Memories of the Future’ runs until 16 October 2024 at Frieze No.9 Cork Street, London, W1S 3LL

Sarabande’s ‘House of Bandits’ pops up at 5 Carlos Place

The Sarabande Foundation was established by Lee Alexander McQueen, an extraordinary charitable legacy which has supported over 100 fashion designers, artists and creatives with studio space and educational scholarships from its home in a former stables in east London’s Haggerston (15 additional studios were opened in Tottenham as part of Paxton17, a new ‘creative quarter’ in the north London neighbourhood, in 2022). This week, part of the first Mount Street Neighbourhood Arts Festival (7-10 October), Sarabande’s ‘House of Bandits’ will open in 5 Carlos Place, the former home of Matches Fashion. Begun in 2020, its name comes from the fashion critic Tim Blanks’ term ‘Sarabandits’, which described the foundation’s anarchic approach to creativity. The pop-up will span fashion, art, jewellery and more from Sarabande’s wide-ranging roster of talent, offering an unruly counterpart to the glossy consumerism of the main fair.

House of Bandits runs from 7-10 October at 5 Carlos Place, part of the Mount Street Neighbourhood Arts Festival

To celebrate 30 years of Studio Voltaire, Loewe collaborates with five artists

This month, the Clapham-based not-for-profit gallery Studio Voltaire will celebrate its 30th anniversary, an occasion marked by the Jonathan Anderson-led fashion house, Loewe. Continuing a deep-rooted association between Loewe and Studio Voltaire – in 2021, the Loewe Foundation Studio Voltaire Award was launched, celebrating ‘talent and individuality’ in the arts – the project sees five artists commissioned by Loewe to create a series of limited-edition works, largely based in leather, which will be displayed in London’s Casa Loewe store (afterwards, profits will go to Studio Voltaire, aiding with the gallery’s community-based projects and civic programmes). The line-up includes Alvaro Barrington (a chain wrapped in leather which can be used as a charm or jewellery), Anthea Hamilton (a play on the fan), Sheila Hicks (a leather pouch), Sanya Kantarovsky (a moulded leather and shearling mask) and Ron Nagle (a leather paperweight).

The Loewe Foundation & Studio Voltaire’s 30th Anniversary collection will be exhibited, and available to purchase, at Casa Loewe New Bond Street during Frieze Week, 9-13 October 2024

Margaret Howell hosts an exhibition of the works of Lucienne Day

Margaret Howell’s Wigmore Street store will turn gallery this Friday, presenting a rare exhibition of the works of Lucienne Day, a British textile designer who worked largely in intricate, hand-sewn ‘silk mosaics’, the focus of this new retrospective. Demanding an extraordinary amount of work – each mosaic is just 1cm in size – they became a riposte to her day job as a designer of mass-produced textiles for brands like Heal’s and Tomkinson's. Decidedly modernist and rich in colour, they provide a satisfying companion for Howell’s collections, which will remain available for purchase in the store.

Lucienne Day Silk Mosaics 1975 – 1993 runs at Margaret Howell, 34 Wigmore Street, W1 from 11 October to 3 November 2024

The nights are drawing in, the leaves are turning brown and crispy underfoot, and… Frieze London 2024 is upon us. With a packed schedule at the fair and around London, ensure you don't miss anything with our handy and frequently updated guide to Frieze Week, 9-13 October.

Frieze London 2024: what to see at the fair

The fair programme was announced this year with news of a complete redesign of both Frieze London and its sister fair Frieze Masters by A Studio Between. New layouts and curated zones represent a return to the original values of Frieze (which marked its 20th anniversary in 2023), with a focus on the contemporary and the practices and interests of artists – a new tent, flanked by windows will also bring in natural light and a view of Regent’s Park.

Putting emerging galleries first, Frieze London has moved the Focus section to the entrance of the fair. It features Dean Sameshima, who is showing erotic dot-to-dot works with Soft Opening, Divine Southgate-Smith with sculpture, drawing and 3D animation at Nicoletti and, at Ginny on Frederick, Charlotte Edey will showcase a site specific installation of tapestries and stained glass windows. The Artist to Artist programme, which sees high profile artists select a lesser known or younger counterpart to exhibit at the fair, returns with Hurvin Anderson nominating Peter Uka, Rashid Johnson nominating Rob Davis and Yinka Shonibare who selected up and coming painter Nengi Omuku. There will also be a new curated section Smoke, helmed by Pablo José Ramírez of the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles, focusing on ceramics and clay works that connect with indigenous histories.

Frieze Masters, which shows pieces dating from prehistory, features the Spotlight section revealing the practices of overlooked artists throughout history, and the Studio section where early and recent work by artists are shown alongside ephemera from their studios.

Frieze London 2024: shows and fairs around town

As always, London's museums and galleries will stage a plethora of exhibitions, happenings and parties across the city, making Frieze Week a showcase of the best that London’s art world has to offer. So if you’re not the art-fair type, then simply head to your favourite gallery or take a stroll around Mayfair, Peckham, Soho, Shoreditch or Bethnal Green.

At Bow Arts, Rosie Gibbens will be performing her unique, humorous and well-observed works. At the French Protestant Church in Soho, Azu Nwagbogu curates Ghanian painter Kwesi Botchway in ‘The Sun Must Come Down’; and at Marylebone space The Bomb Factory, ‘One National Under a Groove’ will include work by Rana Begum, Oman Youesfzada, Zak Ové, Horace Ové and Rosemary Clunie + Ben Okri. Contemporary African Art fair 1-54 will run for the latter half of the week at Somerset House, showcasing the cutting edge from the continent, and the sumptuous design fair PAD London will take its regular spot in Berkley Square. Chris Levine, famous for his portraits of Kate Moss and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, will also be staging something special at The Four Seasons, Park Lane.

In Fitzrovia, TJ Boulting is presenting Sarah Lucas’ egg-throwing performance, 1000 Eggs: For Women, to launch its egg-themed group show, ‘An Oeuf is An Oeuf’. Levy Gorvy Dayan is staging a magic-themed group show, ‘Enchanted Alchemies’, featuring work by Linder, and Alejandro Jodorowsky and Leonora Carrington. Looking West, Carpenters Workshop Gallery in Ladbroke Hall will be showing tactile sculpture by Nacho Carbonell. In a new choral installation, Ekow Eshun curates Es Devlin at St Mary le Strand in Congregation.

Jonas Wood will be taking over Gagosian’s Burlington Arcade bolthole, while Ropac and Pace Galleries are both showing remarkable drawings of artist Robert Longo alongside solo shows from Genesis Belanger and Heemin Chung, respectively. Hauser & Wirth is featuring Jack Witten; White Cube has shows across its London galleries from Tracey Emin’s ‘I followed you to the end’ in Bermondsey and Danh Vo at Mason’s Yard; and Victoria Miro is showing paintings by Jules de Balincourt. Almie Rech is busy with a booth at Frieze London, a show with 16 Arlington at No. 9 Cork Street, plus a painting show, ‘The Lost Hours’ by Farah Atassi. And Sadie Coles HQ will be putting on ‘Mirror and Bear’, by the much-loved agent provocateur Jordan Wolfson. VIV Arts, a new platform at the intersection of art and technology, will launch during Frieze London with an exhibition, Controlled Burn, by Swiss-French artist Julian Charrière. At David Zwirner, Columbian artist Oscar Murillo unveils new paintings, while the Barbican opens its major survey into India's history of art during the Seventies, Eighties and Nineties, while at St Michael + All Angels, Shoreditch, nine artists are gathering until 27 October.

Frieze London 2024: unmissable institutional shows

Frieze Week means the opening of the latest Tate Turbine Hall installation, and this year it is by Mire Lee, whose low-fi kinetica will take centre stage. Tate Modern is also opening ‘Mike Kelly: Ghost and Spirit’, which promises to please fans of the counter-cultural artist and musician. Tate Britain hosts the Turner Prize 2024 exhibition and Adam Farah Saad. The Serpentine will open two exhibitions, one an AI collaboration by Holly Herndon & Mat Dryhurst called ‘The Call’ and the other, the first UK solo show by Los Angeles artist Lauren Halsey Emajendat. South London Gallery is showing boundary-pushing sculpture by Nairy Baghramian, and Goldsmiths CCA hosts Congalese photographer Sammy Baloji. Head down to the ICA for deconstructed robotics from Geumhyung Jeong.

Fancy something more traditional? Van Gogh at The National Gallery and ‘Monet: Views of the Thames’ at The Courtauld have both been given five stars all round. This really is a stellar year.

Frieze London 2024 runs 9-13 October, frieze.com

A white poodle was unendingly rotating on a sleek black and white roundabout during Wednesday’s preview of Frieze in New York, showing his doe-eyed face and then his fluffy back to the fairgoers on an infinite loop. The sculpture titled Social Media (white poodle) (2023) by the Nordic duo Elmgreen & Dragset at the Milanese gallery Massimo de Carlo’s booth captures the hallucinatory spirit of stomping the aisles across an art fair. Booth after booth, art flows like a film roll. The seasoned attendees of a preview day however have long perfected the recipe of getting the most of a blockbuster affair: scan through the walls, chat with colleagues, and make sure to avoid circling around the same corner. 

Frieze New York 2024: what to see

Frieze spans three floors at The Shed which helps stagger the whirlwind into sections while also getting whiffs of the sun-lit High Line park views during each escalator break. “We have the right people in the room, mostly New Yorkers and many from South America,” Frieze Americas director Christine Messineo tells Wallpaper*. She thinks quality of the local audience requires the galleries to come up with strong presentations: “Exhibition-making is happening at this fair.” A few solo presentations among the first floor’s bluechips hint at the director’s point. Seoul’s Kukje Gallery exhibits a striking display of eleven paper collages, overall titled Mesmerizing Mesh, by the Korean German sculptor Haegue Yang; Gladstone Gallery dedicates their section to Alex Katz’s new allusive monochromatic paintings of tree trunks in various scales and hues. James Cohan brings Venice to Manhattan with a group of paintings of repurposed technological debris by the Ethiopian artist Elias Sime who currently has an exhibition, titled Dichotomy ፊት አና ጀርባ’, dedicated to same material source at Spazio Tana. 

A few galleries use their platforms to turn attention to the artists’ shows outside of The Shed. Arlene Shechet’s intricately-orchestrated hardwood, steel, and ceramic sculptures at Pace Gallery nod to the artist’s new upstate outdoors Storm King Art Center project, Girl Group, which blows up her scale to twenty feet high with the backdrop of the spring blossoms. White Cube’s group booth includes an intergenerational range with Etel Adnan, Tunji Adeniyi-Jones, Georg Baselitz, Ibrahim Mahama, and Antony Gormley whose solo show, AERIAL, also opens this week at the gallery’s Upper East Side outpost. The titular maze-like installation downstairs absorbs the visitors into a structure of thin solid aluminum bars, while three solid cast iron humanoid forms from the Big Double Blockworks (2023) series break the body’s likeness into hefty pixel-like chunks. 

Brussel’s Xavier Hufkens salutes their roster artists’ institutional moments, as well. Huma Bhabha who recently unveiled her four large scale bronze sculptures, titled Before The End, for Public Art Fund at the Manhattan-viewed Brooklyn Bridge Park stands at the gallery’s booth with a smaller totemic bust, while a joyous fish painting by Josh Smith pre-celebrates the New Yorker artist’s upcoming institutional solo inspired by the work of late Antiguan painter Frank Walter at Soho’s The Drawing Center. 

The booth makes a full circle with the hang of a small scale Walter painting, a few steps away from Smith’s. Beauty and its gnarly ways is explored on the 8th floor where Korean luxury skin care brand Poiret unveils their collaboration with Sarah Cwynar ahead of the conceptual lens-based artist’s solo show at Tribeca’s 52 Walker this fall. Encyclopedia Grid at the brand’s booth includes collaged images of everyday objects associated with beauty such as a lush purple rose next to a female model with wide open arms. Cwynar selected the model through a casting agent out of a fascination for those she comes across on the luxury online retailer ssense’s website. “I am interested in how the ways the models are presented in an interchangeable way, almost like robots posing a standardized way for internet,” says Cwynar who indeed hired an actual ssense model for the shoot.

Frieze however is not only about the aisles. The fair’s programming prompts the visitors to go out to soak in the May warmth and catch Matty Davis’s gut-punching daily performance Die No Die (The High Line) which proceeds with a group of diverse performers, including Davis himself and a child dancer, from the elevated park’s south end towards the fair’s premise in Hudson Yards. During Tuesday’s preview, the performers crawled, scooted, and eventually fell onto the ground in front of an intrigued audience as well as the park’s clueless passerby. 

Right below, Kasmin unveiled its new exhibition of surreal pastel paintings by the Swedish artist Sara Anstis. Two nude women’s blonde hair evolves into blades of a scissors in Separation Anxiety (2024) or in Woodwoose (2024), a woman whose hair is a tree trunk hosts another female figure on its branch. Even a silent symphony is a part of the Frieze week. Uptown, conductor by Petr Kotik and the orchestra and choir of the S.E.M. Ensemble performed Yves Klein’s 1949-dated single note composition, Monotone-Silence Symphony, which also includes a twenty-minute silence at St. James’ Church. The act crescendoed Lévy Gorvy Dayan’s ongoing exhibition, Yves Klein and the Tangible World, which features 1957’s Pure Pigment pool floor sculpture in the original Klein blue. 

Frieze New York 2024 continues through 5 May 2024

frieze.com

In partnership with LG OLED

LG is making great steps in display technology. Earlier this year, the company revealed the future of home entertainment in the form of its SIGNATURE OLED T, the world’s first wireless transparent OLED television. This flagship device combines LG’s wireless video and audio transmission tech with a revolutionary 77in transparent OLED 4K screen, creating a canvas for content that blends seamlessly into an interior.

At the 2024 Frieze Los Angeles art fair, the capabilities of LG’s OLED evo G and evo C televisions were put to the test via a collaboration with American artist and social activist Shepard Fairey. LG OLED x Shepard Fairey was a unique platform for the artist’s work, an installation space that allowed Fairey to create new perspectives on his guerrilla street-art aesthetic, using the dynamic picture qualities of LG’s OLED technology alongside moving elements that blur the boundaries between physical and digital art.

Fairey, 54, studied at the Rhode Island School of Design, developing an aesthetic that combines graphic art, graffiti techniques, signage, murals and print-making to make prominent social and political statements that reach across a wide audience. He came to global prominence with his 2008 Hope poster depicting Barack Obama, an image that became an instantly recognisable symbol of a new era of activism and awareness. His work is held by the Smithsonian, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the Victoria & Albert Museum, amongst others.

For this collaboration with LG, Fairey explored new ways of using his work to communicate with the audience, in particular highlighting ‘barriers to peace and justice in the face of current social issues’. The artist also created a new rendition of his 2018 piece, Damaged Wrong Path, incorporating a number of OLED TVs into the artwork in order to emphasise detail, complexity and bring a dynamic new layer of motion. LG OLED’s trademark rich colour depth, deep blacks and crisp imagery helped transform Fairey’s vivid collages. The imagery was processed by LG’s new Alpha11 AI processor, which offers a four-fold increase in computing power over its predecessor.

Fairey shares, ‘I'm well aware that most people experience art secondhand on screens. I want to maximise the potential of art living on screens, so it's logical for me to collaborate with LG using some of their most advanced screen technology as a showcase for my work.’

LG OLED's brighter screens also feature unique functions like Object Enhancing, which adds depth and realism to two-dimensional imagery. In addition, the Alpha11 processor enables AI Director Processing, a high-level imaging system that uses AI and colour theory to enhance the visual – and therefore emotional – register of a scene.

This new installation highlights LG’s ongoing OLED Art initiative, a programme that explores how technology can drive artistic innovation. LG OLED makes for a perfect digital canvas, a new way of viewing work that challenges artists, curators, and collectors to take different perspectives on the display and interaction with both analogue and digital artworks. 

Working with Fairey created a new level of integration between the artwork and the physical installation space, enhancing engagement and impact. Sitting at the intersection of art and technology, LG OLED at Frieze Los Angeles provoked and inspired.  

lgoledart.com

obeygiant.com

Overseen by BMW’s head of cultural engagement, Thomas Girst, since 2003, the BMW Art Car series has evolved from cars as canvases to installations and technological experiments. Over half a century, the programme has offered a wildly diverse insight into the relationship between art and industry. 

Against the backdrop of Frieze LA 2024, BMW revealed its latest art-inspired creation, a fusion of ‘art and innovation’ that takes the traditional and graphic art of Esther Mahlangu and injects it into the new BMW i5. Mahlangu, currently the subject of a major retrospective at the Iziko South African Museum, ‘Then I knew I was good at painting: Esther Mahlangu’, was one of the first generation of artists to work on the BMW Art Car Series. 

BMW i5 Flow NOSTOKANA at Frieze LA 2024

In 1991, the South African artist was invited to transform a BMW 525i, the 12th car in the series. The resulting Art Car – which takes centre stage at the Iziko show – was the inspiration for the unique BMW i5 Flow NOSTOKANA revealed at Frieze Los Angeles. How this project came about is a fine illustration of the company’s cultural reach, as well as an example of how design, engineering and fine art can sometimes be threaded together in unexpected ways. 

This is the third concept to feature BMW’s colour-changing technology, a process of incorporating e-ink panels into the bodywork of the car as a way of dynamically adjusting the surfaces. 2023’s BMW i Vision Dee concept not only introduced the form language of the next generation 5-Series, but evolved an idea first seen on the 2022 BMW iX Flow concept, a monochrome re-interpretation of the then-new BMW iX electric SUV.

Now the company has taken everything a step further along. Not only does the technology now reside on a production series eighth generation BMW i5 – the first all-electric 5-Series model – but the complexity and sophistication of the e-ink panels has increased hugely. Whereas the iX Flow had 60 ‘segments’ (independent e-ink screens), the i Vision Dee had 240. The new car has no fewer than 1,349, involving a massive increase in the number of controllers and wiring required to hook it all together.

The person responsible for driving the project is engineer Stella Clarke. Setting herself the task of taking BMW’s e-ink research to the next level, the Australian-born Research Engineer reached back into the archives and revisited Mahlangu’s 1990s collaboration as part of a presentation she put together to explore new ideas for the tech. ‘Her art inspired me years ago, back when the concept of colour change on a car was just an idea in my head,’ she says, not expecting to be able to develop the ‘Flow’ technology with such a direct connection to the artist.

Mahlangu’s signature aesthetic has brought traditional Ndebele art to a wider audience, building on its origins as a form of decoration that can be applied to everything from houses to textiles, pots and clothing. The patterns and colours also lent themselves very well to the technical limitations of the Flow technology. Strips of the e-ink film are applied across the cars roof, bonnet and sides, as well in the wheels. Just like in an e-ink tablet, voltage changes allow the colour particles to be rearranged; remove the charge and the patterns stay exactly as they were.

Not only does this system use very little power, but in the i5 Flow NOSTOKANA, it’s been made more robust and durable. Even so, e-ink is still a world away from the traditional pixel – not only does it absorb light rather than emit it, it’s also slow to cycle through the colour changes. Clarke says that the panels have a refresh rate of around 10 seconds, and complex animations were devised to conceal the way the panels gradually change between patterns.

BMW Group's creative director of sound, Renzo Vitale, composed a special soundscape for the official unveiling, using samples of Mahlangu’s voice and feather paint brushes, along with sounds taken from BMW’s own design studio.

The company can’t be drawn on practical applications for what is a fun, dynamic distraction (well suited to the bustling halls of Frieze’s West Coast outing, where the people watching is just as diverting as the art). Holger Hampf, president of Designworks since 2017, admits that ‘it’s fairly inconceivable to wrap an entire car’, and the obvious use cases – dynamic advertising, electronic bumper stickers and go-faster stripes – don’t exactly spark much enthusiasm. Instead, we’re more likely to see subtle aspects of the tech seep into interiors, reflecting the desire for more and more personalisation.

The Flow technology is just one of many avenues explored across BMW’s design division. A quick visit to Designworks, freshly installed in a new studio complex in Santa Monica, gives further insight into the ways in which the company is trying hard to harness emerging technology – most notably AI – with existing methodologies. ‘We’re throwing everything at AI to see what sticks,’ says Hussein Al Attar, the studio's director of Automotive Design. Moving to Santa Monica also places Designworks in the heart of ‘Silicon Beach’, closer to collaborators like Hans Zimmer and digitally-minded artists like Refik Anadol.

As for art, BMW’s involvement has paid more and more attention to the shifting relationship between artists and technology. ‘In the beginning, the cars were painted,’ Girst says simple, explaining that the very first BMW Art Car was Alexander Calder’s BMW 3.0 CSL, commissioned by auctioneer and racing driver Hervé Poulain for his own attempt at the 1975 Le Mans.

Although Olufar Eliasson’s 2007 BMW H2R was the first Art Car to really push the boundaries of the series, Girst calls it ‘a bit of an outlier.’ Cao Fei’s 2017 Art Car: Unmanned was the first really tech-driven project. Shown alongside John Baldessari’s Art Car #19), Girst cites it as a major step forwards for the way the series integrated art and technology. 

Different artists have had different approaches, and those who have been commissioned to paint an actual race car, like Julie Mehretu’s Art Car #20, due to run the 2024 Le Mans, the only restrictions are weight and aerodynamics. Andy Warhol saw the speed as a challenge, and his 1979 BMW M1 allegedly took just 29 minutes to paint (by hand). Roy Lichtenstein, David Hockney, Frank Stella, Robert Rauschenberg, Jenny Holzer, and Jeff Koons have all had a go as well, with Koons even being asked back to give the world an art car you could buy, with the 99 examples of the 8 X Jeff Koons.

There’ll only be one NOSTOKANA (the name is derived from Esther Mahlangu’s son). For Mahlangu, now 88 and unable to make the journey to LA to see the car unveiled, the ideas of a car that creates joy is a welcome one. ‘It is fascinating to me to see how modern technology can expand my art and make it accessible to a completely new audience,’ she’s quoted as saying. A car is strange canvas for any artist, and over half a century, BMW has dominated the sphere through its sponsorship and support initiatives. With the Flow concepts, the company has taken the definition of canvas to a whole new level.

BMW.com

See our Frieze LA 2024 guide for what’s on in and around the fair

Frieze LA 2024 is underway. Just a few years ago, Frieze was a new player in town. Now, it’s the only place to be during ‘Frieze Week’, a phrase that totally overlooks the fact that two other art fairs, Felix and Spring/Break, are happening simultaneously in other parts of Los Angeles.

Thursday’s Frieze VIP preview assigned timed entry to various tiers of who’s who. I learned just how high the ladder went by our time slot. I, the press, was allowed inside at 2pm, a local curator friend at 1pm, and an associate director of a pretty famous museum was granted access as early as 10am – and that’s not even considering the secretive pre-parties that took place on Wednesday night. 

Regardless of what time the VIPs were allowed to step into Santa Monica Airport, Frieze was crowded. Almost every reflective artwork had a line for the obligatory selfie, and you’ll have to forget about posing for a shot in front of a classically Los Angeles Ed Ruscha print without a crowded mass of passersby photobombing the Instagram. 

While you squeeze through the tent, be on the lookout for the exceptional art on view in these ten booths, which are a fun mix of blue-chip stalwarts, artist-run spaces, and special installations.

What to see at Frieze LA 2024

Frieze Projects

Each year, Frieze curates a non-commercial component known as Frieze Projects, curated by Art Production Fund. Without being beholden to art market trends, these artworks tend to be more political, conceptual, or just plain silly. One highlight from this year’s Frieze Projects is Sharif Farrag’s Rat Race (2024,) which lets fairgoers power RC car rodents decked out with flames and stars. Winners get trophies adorned with a ceramic orange pylon. Sign up for the next round of races on Saturday and make that trophy yours.

Sprüth Magers

Sprüth Magers has galleries all over the globe, but its Los Angeles location has mostly focused on the feminist artists on its roster. While this year’s booth includes men like Sterling Ruby (who just unveiled a Vans collaboration) and Robert Irwin, their best works on display are from women. Gretchen Bender’s tower of CRT monitors, Wild Dead I, II, III (Danceteria Version) (1984), flickers with CGI flowers and corporate logos, long anticipating the internet age. Nearby, Analia Saban’s Copper Tapestry (GeForce 8800 GTX, Nvidia, 2006) (2024) made with woven copper wire and linen thread, considers the extractive forces keeping our computer addictions afloat. Just make sure to avoid making eye contact with Anne Imhof’s deranged etched clown photographs – the gnarled face in Clown (maximum blue purple) (2023) is going to keep me up at night.

Commonwealth and Council

Against all odds, Commonwealth and Council has become the artist-run space that operates with the prestige of a blue-chip gallery. Its booth showcases a gorgeous, two-person exhibition with Lotus L Kang and Suki Seokyeong Kang (no relation). Lotus’ cast aluminum anchovies are strung to gridded canvasses and bundled into rope-like charms that dangle from the ceiling. Suki’s Mountain series builds wall-mounted landscapes with painted steel, chain, silk, and thread. Both artists pull from their heritage and show how tradition can be folded into a rapidly changing modern society.

VSF/Various Small Fires

The VSF booth unites five artists contemplating the havoc of climate change. Brandon Ballengée mourns extinct species like the Eastern Cougar and Passenger Pigeon by juxtaposing their bunt and cut-out above a small etched funerary urns. Nearby, in Drought (2023), Jesse Homer French paints Joshua trees aflame. It’s a bleak outlook, but VSF does do its part to promise a better future. There’s a giant bin full of dirt accompanied by a cheerful sign: ‘Free compost and worms… ask us!’ Offset Frieze’s carbon emissions with your small act of going green.

Kasmin

The New York gallery dedicates its entire booth to vanessa german, who builds Afrocentric busts, boomboxes, and skateboards from plaster, glass beads, rose quartz, and so much more. Notably, among her materials, are emotions like ‘love’ and ’disgust’. The self-taught artist may romanticise objects by adorning them in pink crystals, but the titles are activist anthems. For example, a skateboard adorned with a swan has a title that will not let a collector mistake it for passive viewing: skateboard memorial to tyre nichols who screamed out for his own mama to come for him while the police were jumping on his back and taking his name out of his soul and making him dead with their own looseness of being and in the brutality of this separation unaliving him for no reason other than _________. Well. Or, skateboard as grief. (2023).

The Pit

The Pit's presentation of Allison Schulnik's ceramic pots and flower paintings was fantastic. Her glazed porcelain sculptures come alive with hand-built moths, snakes, and unicorns. On mint green walls, more porcelain woodland critters float around dreamy oil paintings of palo verde and sea lavender.

Nazarian/Curcio (formerly Shulamit Nazarian)

Another gallery in the Focus programme, Nazarian/Curcio, still referred to by its old name of Shulamit Nazarian, enriches Wildine Cadet’s solo exhibition with shades of lavender and ultraviolet. The Haitian photographer, who will have a solo exhibition at the gallery later this year, casts her family in shadow, nearly blending their features into the night sky. At times, she hides portraits behind wood panels, playing with the fuzzy reconstruction of memory.

Anthony Meier

This Bay Area gallery based in Mill Valley, CA, is dedicated to showing post-Second World War contemporary masters. At Frieze, it gives multidisciplinary artist Jesse Schlesinger an opportunity to show minimalist, wooden sculptures carved into round forms or precise cubes. Much of the wood is in its natural state, but some is painted in bright cyan or magenta. One piece, Untitled (2023), looks like the cross between a grandfather clock and a guillotine. Much of the material, like redwood and cedar, has been salvaged, showing the artist’s fondness for sustainability and memory.

OMR

The gallery from Mexico City features numerous works by Mexican-American artist Eduardo Sarabia, including The Sun (2023), a psychedelic stained glass window that features a large mushroom floating in front of a brown hand. Sarabia’s mushroom motif repeats in ceramic tiles, surrounding pin-up girls rendered in the refined blue-on-porcelain style. Another surrealist work is, Gabriel Rico’s No penny no paternoster (2023) in which an enormous fibreglass serpent engulfs its head in a gold-plated beehive that is speared with knives and bones.

Gary Tyler

The once incarcerated artist is a 2024 Right to Return Fellow and the winner of the 2024 Frieze Los Angeles Impact prize. Tyler was wrongfully convicted of murder and spent 42 years in prison; now, he turns to art for healing. He creates quilted works with appliqué to depict personal memories and the stories of other incarcerated people. In Memoriam of an Ashanti Warrior (2024), an old man sits in a chair, holding a long silver staff for support. The city of Santa Monica purchased this work for their annual Art Bank acquisition, which brings art into public spaces.

Frieze Los Angeles 2024 is on from until 4 March 

frieze.com

Southern Guild – the Cape Town gallery that has catalysed the African collectible design and art scene and showcased it at fairs across the world – has opened an outpost in Los Angeles this month, just in time for Frieze LA 2024.

The gallery has taken up residence in a 5,000 sq ft former laundrette converted by Evan Raabe Architecture Studio as part of developers Zach Lasry and Creative Space’s new cluster of bluechip galleries and restaurants in the once faded neighbourhood of Melrose Hill. It joins David Zwirner, Morán Morán and Clearing in the revamped area, soon to be given extra vim by Color Club, a Giorgio’s-inspired nightclub designed by the Haas Brothers.

Southern Guild LA’s two inaugural exhibitions

‘People advised us it was too far east, but we fell in love with the area immediately,’ says Trevyn McGowan, who co-founded the gallery with her husband Julian in 2008 to support the continent’s rich tradition of utilitarian and ritualistic art. ‘It’s a walkable creative community – a rarity for LA.’ 

A large neon sign that once read ‘Laundrywood’ now welcomes visitors to Southern Guild on Western Avenue. Evan Raabe Architecture Studio has transformed the existing 1920s building into a monolithic white box, which acts as a foil to the highly textured works within – hand carved, chiselled, woven and coiled by the likes of Andile Dyalvane, Zizipho Poswa, and Porky Hefer.

Southern Guild has a large collector base in the US, having exhibited at fairs in the country for over a decade. ‘It suddenly seemed the right time to be able to give our artists year-round exposure in the States,’ says McGowan. ‘When we started the platform in 2008, we didn’t realise there was a category called “collectible design” or that fairs like Design Miami existed, we just kept discovering incredible creatives doing extraordinary work with their hands. Southern Guild was a way to bring them together as a family.’ Many of the artists work within its campus of warehouses in Cape Town’s port, making use of the area’s bronze foundries and other production facilities close to the gallery itself, housed in the Silo District.

As Southern Guild has evolved, the binaries of design, art and craft have disintegrated further, and it now counts painters and self-described visual activist Zanele Muholi in its stable of artists (Muholi’s works is the subject of its next LA show in May 2024). What they share is an urge to explore their cultural heritage, spirituality, ancestral knowledge and identity in today’s world, or ‘the things that connect us as humans’, as McGowan puts it. ‘Every work has a strong narrative behind it.’

The two inaugural shows draw on these themes, bringing them to life in myriad ways. ‘Mother Tongues’ is a group show of 25 artists from the African continent that charts how language and pedagogy are channelled into diverse forms of expression, while ‘Indyebo yakwaNtu (Black Bounty)’ is a solo show by South African artist Zizipho Poswa, who has drawn on objects of beautification and ritual in a series of monumental sculptures.

The term ‘mother tongue’ suggests borders and migration, which the Nigerian-Canadian artist Oluseye brings to life in his intricate assemblages of ‘diasporic debris’: the found objects and detritus he collects from his transatlantic travels. In his sculptures, they become talismans, recalling those carried by Africans on their forced or voluntary journeys across the ocean.

Like Oluseye, many of the artists in the show reject the boundaries between tradition and modernity, including ceramic artist Andile Dyalvane, whose scarified pottery references the rituals and spirituality of his Xhosa culture. And throughout the exhibition, codes and symbols – carved into clay vessels by Dyalvane and wooden tables by Chuma Maweni – add many layers for the visitor to interpret.

For Zizipho Poswa (whose studio we visited in 2019), objects of adornment are also a language, with jewellery, beadwork, and hair combs referring to cultural, economic and spiritual wealth. Upscaled and cast in bronze, these crown five towering ceramic sculptures, created in the vast kilns of the Center for Contemporary Ceramics (CCC) at California State University, Long Beach, where Poswa did a summer residency.

Extending over 8ft tall, her parade of sculptures traces the traditional healing customs, polytheistic practices and cosmological knowledge of her amaXhosa culture to its Kemetic heritage, as well as the influence of the Nubian kingdom – rich in gold, ivory and ebony – spread along the Nile from Egypt to Ethiopia. 

Southern Guild’s arrival in Los Angeles follows a long history of artistic migration from South Africa to California, which extends back to the 1960s when a group of artists fled the country in the wake of the Sharpeville Massacre and the censorship of political parties and creative output. Los Angeles is also where Hugh Masekela, one of the country’s most famous cultural exports, established a home for Afro sounds as an imprint of Motown Records, and where Letta Mbulu laid a vocal track on Michael Jackson’s Liberian Girl. The gallery envisions its arrival as the start of ‘a new chapter of cultural exchange’.

'Mother Tongues' and ‘ndyebo yakwaNtu (Black Bounty)’ are on view until 27 April 2024

Southern Guild LA
747 N Western Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90029

southernguild.com

Art is an aesthetic expression of activism for Andrea Bowers, whose large-scale works have sprung from injustices concerning environmental, immigration and women’s rights. The LA-based artist first became immersed in environmental activism after joining forest defence protests, including, notably, with activist John Quigley, with whom she campaigned to save a 400-year-old oak tree. She documented the experience in the 2009 video, Nonviolent Civil Disobedience Training–Tree Sitting Forest Defense. Later, she was arrested alongside other activists while protesting to save a vast oak forest in Arcadia, California, from destruction by Los Angeles County officials.    

It is this emotionally charged ecological awareness that caught the eye of Maison Ruinart, which has seen environmental changes over the last 20 years reflected in the vine. With the time between flowering and harvest reduced by two weeks, berries take on a sweeter piquancy, creating a need for a new champagne that is sustainable yet still recognisably Ruinart, a challenge addressed in its 2023 cuvée Blanc Singulier.

Ruinart and Andrea Bowers to unveil new work at Frieze LA 2024

Ruinart’s 2024 Carte Blanche, entitled Conversations with nature,  sees a collective of six international artists create individual artworks expressing our relationship with nature, with the results set to be exhibited at art fairs around the world – in Bowers’ case, the unveiling will be at Frieze LA 2024. From October 2024, these artworks will be brought together in an Artists’ Garden designed as part of a new architectural project at Maison Ruinart in Reims. Exposed to the elements, they will be viewable all year round, immersed in a rich ecosystem of trees, plants and animal life. Inspired by this connection with nature, Maison Ruinart has chosen to work with artists who hold strong convictions regarding the living world, emphasising the importance of addressing climate upheaval. 

Bowers’ piece, a steel chandelier, will hang suspended in the middle of the garden, tracing the sculptural silhouettes of tree branches, with leaves in neon and stained glass. Along the branches will run quotes from Françoise d’Eaubonne, the French writer and mother of eco-feminism.     

‘Around here, a lot of people have these big old oaks and they hang chandeliers,’ says Bowers, from her studio in Highland Park, California. ‘It’s simple, but romantic and beautiful. Sometimes my works are really heavy. It’s nice to make something that is still political, but also just beautiful.’

Bowers collaborated with local glassmaker Judson Studios for the speckled leaves, created from weighty leftover glass, yet appearing to curl and undulate. Bowers references her experiences witnessing the needless destruction of trees. She says the wilful felling of the forest around her, as she clung to a remaining tree, greatly affected and frightened her. She has returned to it multiple times in her art since, including here: the glass leaves are reimaginings of the leaves she saved from the felled trees, the memories of its branches becoming the form of the chandelier. Wood chips she took from the scene also formed the basis for previous artworks. ‘How can I memorialise [the devastation]? The chandeliers are symbolic because they’re based on sycamores, but it’s also a way to remember that devastation that I went through. It’s like a memento mori.’

The faithfully carved casts of the leaves make a solid foil for the looping whorls of the neon, itself teased into leaf shapes. ‘There’s the art side of me that’s really interested in exploring and experimenting with neon, and pushing it in sculptural ways,’ she says. ‘I decided to make it totally 3D. I got to the chandeliers in quite a formal way because it was a technical challenge. So despite all the activism and politics and history that’s in my work, there is also an artist who loves making craft and pushing material boundaries.’

The quotes from d’Eaubonne, which run throughout, are a crucial component for her, their understated presentation carefully considered. ‘It’s a feminist history from Paris that I’m representing,’ explains Bowers, who says she prefers to leave visitors to connect the dots themselves. ‘I want to get people on board with the work. There’s a way to collaborate and find alliances and not just piss people off with the art. The chandeliers honour the history of eco-feminist poetry.’

As well as Chandelier of Interconnectedness, Bowers has created Political Ribbons, to be showcased at Frieze LA. An installation of 8ft-long coloured ribbons printed with silkscreened slogans referencing the climate emergency, it alludes to the ribbons that suffragettes emblazoned with political slogans in their own non-violent protest. The work is an immersive one – Bowers is keen for visitors to help themself to a ribbon. ‘We want people to engage and be involved. It brings camaraderie. It brings joy.’  

Ultimately, Bowers is emphasising the environmental issues important to her, as well as to Ruinart. While visiting Reims, she was impressed by the maison’s commitment to bringing back biodiversity, with passages in the vineyards encouraging the return of certain insects, alongside natural ways to manage water.  

‘Making champagne is a magical process of simple things that come from the earth,’ Bowers adds. ‘It’s really about Mother Earth, we have to protect the soil that those roots are in. And the light is phenomenal [in Reims]. It’s a breathtaking setting. It’s a great privilege to experience that kind of sublime landscape.’  

ruinart.com

This article appears in the April 2024 Issue of Wallpaper* available on international newsstands in print from 7 March, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today.

Artist MJ Harper has been conceiving Arias for a New World for some years now, and during that time they have developed a performance piece that will premiere at Koko this Sunday, 15 October, in London, marking the end of Frieze London 2023. Previous iterations of the performance have been performed at the Serpentine in collaboration with Grace Wales Bonner and the V&A – invited by Tim Walker – but this version, styled by Katy England with Dior, is the culmination of years of work brought together in one, ambitious work of art. 

‘I basically asked myself, all right… If Eartha Kitt and Pina Bausch were still alive and they were my age and had an iPhone, what would the work look like?’ said MJ Harper over video chat as they took a break for rehearsal. ‘That was a base layer and then on top of it, I thought, and then what if they were working with modalities that Wayne McGregor used, and William Forsythe used and so I just basically became obsessed and started approaching the platform, in this sort of very academic and cerebral way.’

Bringing in their Jamaican American heritage, and building on their love of the work of favourite artists – from the iconic gay activist Derek Jarman, to the legendary dancer and choreographer Pina Bausch and the Black Hollywood glamour of Eartha Kitt – Harper is now seeking to channel their inspirations into something entirely new. 

MJ Harper on ‘Arias for a New World’

Harper moved to Berlin from London after an injury meant they had to cease dancing with the Wayne McGregor company, and took a job at Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich under Barry Kosky. This led to joining Komische Oper in Berlin, a change of pace and direction that meant they had the space to expand on their personal practice. 

‘On lunch break, I would sneak away and make things in the studio, or I would stay a little bit later and then from what I would make in the studio, I would put that together into little solos. Eventually, this thing started to kind of develop where I just created this character that I thought was really interesting and then I realised that it was basically a portrait of the experience of my mum and I immigrating to the States.’

Arias for a New World has been scored by Antoni Komasa-Lazarkiewicz and will be accompanied by him and composer Thomas Moked Blum, while being shot by filmmaker Matt Lambert. Exploring themes of eroticism, ritual, personal history, gesture, elegance and religion, Harper is truly trying to do something creatively new, something groundbreaking. This quest takes in their identity as being Jamaican and American, a childhood spent being raised by a single mother, and being an artist concerned with the avant-garde. Harper is looking to something fresh and boundary-pushing. 

‘It's sexy, it's like it's a fever dream, but to this day, I don't really know how to describe it. I think what's been really fun has been that from every iteration that I've done, the consensus from people [is that] they actually don't know what they've experienced.’

MJ Harper performs Arias for a New World at Koko on 15 October, tickets can be found here

For Frieze Masters 2023 – Frieze London’s more historically minded arm – designers Stephen Alesch and Robin Standefer of Roman and Williams present an exhibition concept that references their design of the British Galleries at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, as part of the London art fair's Stand Out, curated by Luke Syson. A section that presents multimedia artefacts outside the boundaries of painting and sculpture, this year Stand Out explores the importance of colour in three-dimensional art, delving into the relationship between colour and nature, geography, material and innovation. 

As well as Romans and Williams' own Guild Gallery, Stand Out also features work presented by a varied roster of galleries including Galerie Chenel, Axel Vervoordt, Friedman Benda, Rose Uniacke among others. 

Roman and Williams' Frieze Masters debut

For their display at the fair, Roman and Williams looked back at their design for the British Galleries, a project for which they worked closely with Syson. The exhibition design explores strategies the pair developed to highlight four centuries of British sculpture, furniture, and applied arts at The Met, a gallery completed in 2020 for which the designers spent five years immersed in the museum’s collection, collaborating with curators and historians to challenge traditional exhibition design and offer a new experience for visitors. 

The same approach is replicated at Frieze Masters, an elevated backdrop for a display dedicated to American and Japanese ceramic masters inspired by British studio pottery. Among the booth's showcase are some of the most celebrated ceramicists of the 20th century, including George Ohr, Peter Voulkos, and Toshiko Takaezu, alongside next-generation ceramic artists such as Rick Hintze, Peter Callas, Eisuke Morimoto and Michikawa Shozo. 

Taking cues from Frieze Masters’ Annabelle Selldorf-designed setting, the designers offered visitors a sense of experiential unity. 

The design of the space is informed by classical architecture, with elements including arches and niches framing the artworks in a theatrical way and dark-hued backdrops and ceilings encouraging the pieces' narrative potential. A timber floor across the space gives the pavilion a sense of domestic interior, with a harmonious display conveyed by discreet plinths in uniform sizes throughout. 

In November 2023, Syson will once again collaborate with Guild Gallery on 'Earth and Accident', an exhibition that builds from the Frieze Masters display celebrating 'the formal qualities that can transform clay by happenstance of heat, the colours of different clays, and the incalculable behaviours of glazes, looking at the relationship between historic and contemporary works'.

Frieze Masters is on view until 15 October 2023

frieze.comromanandwilliams.com

Autumn fashion for art lovers: as Frieze London 2023 takes over town this week, photographer Dham Srifuengfung and Wallpaper* fashion director Jason Hughes capture a series of curated ensembles for cultural influencers and artistic types, backdropped by London gallery David Zwirner.

Spanning the quotidien – a Miu Miu hoodie, a classic Bottega Veneta overcoat, slouchy Zegna trousers – and the surreal – Loewe’s sprouting metal wings, a furry Sportmax suit – it is a recipe for impactful dressing for cultural excursions this autumn and winter.

In the background, the colourful compositions of Brazilian artist Odoteres Ricardo de Ozias line David Zwirner’s walls as part of an exhibition that took place in the gallery in September 2023, the artist’s first solo exhibition outside his home country. Here, his bold approach to colour and texture provides a fitting backdrop to this autumn’s wishlist wardrobe.

Autumn fashion, photographed at David Zwirner London

Models: Chieloka at Xdirectn, Thijs Leushuis at Chapter Mgmt, Sona at Majin Scouting, Gem Refoufi at Present Model Management, Kiran Farebrother at Premier Model Management, Yangying Long at The Hive Management, Jordan Djadi at Storm Management, Lars Baena Boer, and Aramish Mangi at Viva London. Casting: Hien Le at Diller Global. Hair: Maarit Niemela at Frank Agency using Amika. Make-up: Sunao Takahashi at Saint Luke using Dior Forever Foundation and Capture Totale Le Sérum. Photography assistants: Jed Barnes, Coco Bagley. Fashion assistants: Kris Bergfeldt, Sabrina Leina, Ady Huq. Hair assistant: Aimeric Aimot Make-up assistant: Ruby Yu. Production assistant: Minna Vauhkonen. Photographed on location at the David Zwirner gallery, London, W1.

This article appears in the November 2023 Art Issue of Wallpaper*, available in print, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today.

Among the artists showing work at The Modern Institute’s Frieze London 2023 booth are Rachel Eulena Williams, who creates lyrical assemblages of material and colour using sculptural elements that she weaves, threads or glues together, and Alberta Whittle, who addresses the legacies of the slave trade, colonialism and institutional racism – two new paintings on show take inspiration from Caribbean Gothic narratives and have an otherworldly quality that whispers of ghosts, hauntings, madness and monsters. 

The gallery is also showing pieces by Jim Lambie – who often uses ubiquitous objects that nod to nightlife, punk and subcultural music’s material history, from record covers and clothes to mirrors and safety pins – as well as works by Hayley Tompkins, who paints on ordinary things, from mallets and sunglasses to chairs, in a fluid, mosaic-like style, using vibrant colours to energise the mundane, asking us to look and look again at the objects we wear, grasp, sit on. 

There are new pastel-on-canvases by Andrew Sim, who presents new variations on their signature motifs, such as werewolves and horses, mixing the archetypal with the autobiographical, the queer and folkloric. These motifs originate from Sim’s personal experience following a long period of gestation and thought, both making a lasting impact on the artist. As such, they are often repeated, twinned and reconfigured to create a series of connections and synchronicities either within or across works. Sim began painting horses in 2020 while on residency at the Villa Lena Foundation in Italy. This was a liberating time for Sim, giving them space to reflect on their gender presentation. A calmness is echoed in the imagery of the horses. They are serene, poised and elegant; they appear peaceful and unaware of any audience. For Sim, they have become symbolic of a meditative and metamorphic period. 

Sim’s work will also be presented by The Modern Institute in a solo exhibition during Frieze as part of the gallery’s ‘Beyond the Modern Institute’ series, at 1-4 Walker’s Court, Soho. Founded by Toby Webster in Glasgow in 1997, the gallery works with 45 internationally established and emerging artists, including Martin Boyce, Cathy Wilkes, Anne Collier and Jeremy Deller, and currently represents four Turner Prize winners, as well as three nominees.

The Modern Institute will be at Booth D3 at Frieze London from 11-15 October, frieze.com, themoderninstitute.com

Fashion has well and truly infiltrated Frieze Week, with a slew of happenings across the city to coincide with the arrival of Frieze London 2023, which opens to the public tomorrow (12 October 2023). Whether fashionable new sponsors for the fair itself or the numerous other happenings across the city – from a blockbuster Gucci Cosmos exhibition to Dover Street Market’s annual Frieze takeover, as well as relaxing gong bath courtesy of Birkenstock, Tekla and Matches – there is plenty to keep both art and style aficionados amused throughout the week. Here, we run down the fashion-and-Frieze crossovers that aren’t to be missed.

Best fashion moments at London Frieze Week 2023

Stone Island and Dunhill become Frieze partners

The year’s Frieze in London welcomes two new principal partners: Italian streetwear label Stone Island and British heritage house Dunhill, the former supporting Frieze’s ‘Focus’ and ‘Frieze 91’ projects, the latter Frieze Masters. As part of the multi-year deal, Stone Island will give participating ‘Focus’ galleries – younger, less established institutions – a special bursary which is equivalent to 30 per cent of the stand fee. ‘Stone Island is built on community and creative energy inspired by research and innovation, characteristics that define the Focus section of Frieze’s art fairs,’ says Robert Triefus, the brand’s CEO. ‘Through this partnership, Stone Island will offer foundational support to some of the world’s most significant emerging galleries and artists for years to come.’ The partnership will be celebrated with a club night at Koko in Camden on 12 October, as well as a special collaborative collection with Dover Street Market, which will launch at the store the same day. 

Dunhill, meanwhile, will support this year’s edition of Frieze Masters Talks, a celebrated programme of conversations between various art world figures – this year’s participants include Sarah Lucas, Maggi Hambling, Rachel Whiteread and V&A East’s Dr Gus Casely-Hayford, among others. There will also be a dedicated Dunhill space at the fair, whereby the current collection from the house will sit alongside archival pieces, curated by Nick Foulkes, author of Dunhill by Design. 

Burberry supports Sarah Lucas at Tate Britain

Though it opened just prior to Frieze, British artist Sarah Lucas’ latest exhibition ‘Happy Gas’ at Tate Britain (until 14 January 2024) will no doubt attract those travelling to London for the fair (Lucas will also participate in Dunhill’s Frieze Masters Talks on 13 October at 3pm). The exhibition is sponsored by British fashion house Burberry, which under latest creative director Daniel Lee is hoping to forge greater links with Britain’s arts and culture scene. To coincide with the exhibition, Burberry released a special portrait of Lucas photographed by Anton Gottlob at Tate Britain and will host an intimate private dinner during Frieze Week to celebrate the partnership.

‘Humour, desire, domesticity’: read our review of ‘Sarah Lucas: Happy Gas’.

Gucci Cosmos takes over 180 Studios

Brutalist landmark 180 Studios plays host to Gucci Cosmos, a travelling exhibition that celebrates the Italian house’s archive and opens to the public on 11 October to coincide with Frieze Week. The immersive exhibition – comprising a number of garments and accessories that date from Gucci’s founding in 1921 to the present day – features dramatic set pieces from British artist and set designer Es Devlin. These include a pair of enormous white resin figures project with archival looks (an ode to Gulliver’s Travels), a luggage conveyor belt, and a surreal, futuristic imagining of the house’s archives. The exhibition will run until December 2023. 

Take a look inside Gucci Cosmos.

Dover Street Market launches ‘Frieze 2023 Happenings’

Dover Street Market’s London outpost continues its tradition of hosting a series of installations, activations and product launches to coincide with the arrival of Frieze Week. Beginning with a celebratory evening on 12 October – complete with food and drink from its in-house Rose Bakery – these include a special collaborative collection with Stone Island, the arrival of a slew of new Comme des Garçons collections, as well as various special projects with the likes of Mary McCartney, Jake Chapman, Dauphin x The Serpentine Galleries, Susan Nemeth, Angela Hill and Seana Gavin, among others. 

Tekla, Birkenstock and Matches provide a relaxing pit stop

Those seeking escape from the hustle and bustle of the Regent Park tents should head to Mayfair, where Matches is hosting a series of relaxing crystal-bowl gong baths in its Carlos Place townhouse. The occasion is Birkenstock’s recent collaboration with Danish lifestyle brand Tekla, a series of loungewear, clogs and sandals designed to capture the serenity of home. Attendees will also be able to shop the collection, launching exclusively at Matches, while the pieces can also be purchased online.

Gong baths will take place on 12 October 2023 at Matches Townhouse, 5 Carlos Place. Places can be booked here.

Thom Browne celebrates 20 years in business

American designer Thom Browne has arrived in London this week to celebrate 20 years of his theatrical collections, as documented in a new Phaidon-published tome. Browne hosted a dinner on Monday night (9 October) at London‘s V&A to mark the book’s launch – preceeded by a talk alongside critic Charlie Porter – as well as a special lunch on Tuesday alongside department store Harrods. A capsule collection – available on the brand’s website and in flagship stores around the world – will also celebrate the anniversary, featuring its year of founding, 2003, adorning a series of Browne’s iconic pieces, from varsity jackets and sports coats to a classic wool flannel pleated skirt. 

The Row hosts new work by jeweller Ana Khouri

Ana Khouri’s creations have long straddled sculpture and jewellery – Khouri had a background in fine art before starting the eponymous jewellery brand – making Frieze Week the perfect moment to reveal a new collection. Hosted by The Row in its London Carlos Place outpost, Khouri will reveal a new collection of pieces titled ‘Raw’, part of her ‘Edition’ line, which is released every two or three years. Mining Khouri’s fascination with gold – ‘its simplicity, the way it reflects the light and illuminates the skin’, as she describes – the various pieces are inspired by the process of digging in the dirt for gold. ’I was overwhelmed by a sense of reverence for the care involved in procuring such a gift from the earth and how that care can yield something so exceptional,’ she says. ‘Unearthing even the smallest fragment of raw gold, holding it in my hand, I felt enveloped by something larger – as if nature’s creative energy and my own had merged.’

Margaret Howell hosts exhibition celebrating Architectural Review’s memorable covers

Opening on 13 October 2023, Margaret Howell will host a new exhibition in her Wigmore Street store (featured in a recent behind-the-scenes film), celebrating two decades of Architectural Review covers spanning the 1960s and 1970s (eras of design that have long been a fascination for Howell). The exhibition follows a show hosted by the brand during the London Festival of Architecture 2023, whereby photographs of Britain’s cooling towers – ‘sculptural giants’ – were celebrated in a mesmerising display in the brand’s flagship store.

The Architectural Review Covers Exhibition runs at Margaret Howell, 34 Wigmore Street from 13 October – 5 November 2023.

Vestiaire Collective supports the Barbican’s new exhibition on ecology and gender

Fashion resale platform Vestiare Collective – which aims to provide a sustainable, circular way of buying and selling luxury fashion – sponsors a major new group exhibition at the Barbican, titled ‘RE/SISTERS: A Lens on Gender and Ecology’. Across various mediums – including photography, film and installations – the expansive exhibition sees 50 women and gender-non-conforming artists explore ‘the systemic links between the oppression of women and the degradation of the planet’. A particular focus is placed on work from indigenous communities, while several of the artworks look towards a brighter future: ‘a roadmap for creative forms of civil disobedience and protest: a lesser explored, cautiously optimistic route to reconsidering our relationship to the Earth’, as the institution describes. To celebrate the launch, Vestiare Collective will host a private view and dinner on 11 October 2023. 

‘RE/SISTERS: A Lens on Gender and Ecology’ runs from 5 October 2023 – 14 January 2024 at Barbican Art Centre

Theory ‘Shades of Fall’ 

To celebrate the launch of a new campaign, ‘Shades of Fall‘ – based on the idea of colour theory – American brand Theory hosted an exhibition of work by Wanda Koop and Kenny Rivero at No. 9 Cork Street Gallery (a partnership with Frieze, it was celebrated with an intimate dinner on Friday evening). The two artists offered their own colour theories as part of the campaign; ‘red is the most powerful and passionate,’ said Koop, while Rivero posited that ‘black is the uniform, the armour and the camouflage that lets me be everywhere and nowhere at once.’

Discover the best of Frieze London 2023 in our ongoing round-up.

In partnership with LG OLED

Presented in partnership with LG Electronics (LG), Jardins d'Été is an algorithmically generated experience created by London-based Italian artist Quayola at Frieze London 2023 (11 – 15 October). Brought to life by the vivid brilliance of LG OLED digital canvases and paying homage to French Impressionism (particularly the late works of Claude Monet), the series of videos and prints showcases the synergistic potential of art and technology. 

Quayola conceived Jardins d’Été as an immersive work depicting the nocturnal blossoming gardens at Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire, France, using the complexity of floral formations moved by the wind as a dataset to generate new computational paintings. The series investigates the ways in which nature is observed and synthesised, which in the 19th century served as a point of departure toward total abstraction. Speculating on the traditions of landscape painting, the work ‘explores a hybrid substance between the pictorial and the algorithmic’ says Quayola, all presented in crystal clear 4K via LG OLED’s premium picture quality. 

Renowned for his harmonious fusion of computer programming and classical art, Quayola employs modern technology as a lens through which to explore the tension and balance between seemingly opposing forces, such as the real and artificial, figurative and abstract, old and new. Engaging with an extensive technological apparatus to precisely capture subtle nuances beyond human perception, the artist uses ultra-high-definition cameras and custom computer software to view natural landscapes through the ‘eye’ of a machine; a process that serves as a counterpoint to the subjective, human optical organ. Through this unique approach, Quayola creates hybrid compositions with historical aesthetics like landscape painting and classical sculpture, fostering artistic exploration and discovery with vibrant and mesmerising displays.    

‘Jardins d’Été explores a hybrid substance between the pictorial and the algorithmic,’ says Quayola. ‘The complex tones and palettes in this series are perfectly enhanced by LG OLED’s canvases, their exceptional picture quality blurring the lines between the digital and the physical.’

‘We are pleased to engage in a captivating collaboration with a talented artist like Quayola,’ adds Kate Oh, vice president of the Brand Communication Division at LG Home Entertainment Company. ‘Together, we aim to redefine artistic boundaries, blending art and technology in ways that captivate and inspire audiences, as showcased in our exhibitions and collaborative efforts. LG OLED upholds its motto, “We Inspire Art”, supporting artists in unlocking their creative potential and giving inspiration for the evolution of digital art.’

LG continues to push the boundaries of artistic exploration, spotlighting the compelling synergy between art and technology through engaging exhibitions and collaborations with inspiring artists. 

To follow the artistic journey with LG OLED ART, visit the website or Instagram account to experience the latest captivating art collaborations. 

Jardins d’Été by Quayola x LG OLED is at Frieze London, 11 – 15 October, Regent's Park NW1 4LL

Frieze London 2023 – bigger, better, longer than any Frieze before – sees the world’s cultural magpies descend on the city. As Frieze marks its 20th anniversary, it’s a big moment for the world’s most famous art fair, and one it is celebrating with a packed programme of events, spanning the established – El Anatsui, Frans Hals and Ai Weiwei lead the heavyweights at Frieze Masters – to the eclectic, such as Sprüth Magers’ presentation of a Hyun-Sook Song retrospective and White Cube’s Mona Hatoum exhibition. More than 160 galleries from 46 countries will come together from 11 – 15 October. 

The action extends far beyond the perimeters of the fair’s epicentre in Regent’s Park. Saatchi Yates art cabaret with Will St John at The Box; Berlin-based and Jamaican-born multimedia artist MJ Harper’s one-off performance at London’s Koko; and Avery Singer’s show at Hauser & Wirth coinciding with Frieze’s opening are just some of our Frieze Week highlights.

Frieze London 2023: what to see in the fair

Frieze Masters presents works from the last few centuries in a generous curation. Galleria Continua will focus on the years 1983 to 1999 in a presentation of Ai Weiwei’s works including his famous Dropping a Han Dynasty Urn and June, 1994. El Anatsui, whose 2023 Hyundai commission is concurrently opening at the Tate Turbine Hall, will showcase a 30-year career with a solo booth at Jack Shainman, while D’Lan Contemporary’s showing of Emily Kam Kngwarray’s paintings marks the first appearance of an Australian First Nations artist at Frieze Masters. Also not to be missed is Nigeria’s most important modernist, Ben Enwonwu, at Kó Gallery from Lagos.

Leading galleries are presenting a selection of group, solo and thematic shows. Look out for Sadie Coles HQ, which nods to the fair’s first edition in 2003 with works by artists who took part, including  John Currin and Sarah Lucas. Also feeling nostalgic is Pilar Corrias, whose solo exhibition by Margate-based artist Sophie Von Hellerman is inspired by Margate’s Dreamland. Immersive works, such as Julianknxx’s video presented by Edel Assanti, which coincides with his Barbican Curve commission, join bronze sculptures by Barbara Chase-Riboud at Hauser & Wirth. 

For Lisson Gallery, US-born artist Van Hanos is the focus, with paintings that draw from time spent in Vienna, while Pace Gallery is giving us a taster of 2024, with works by Paulina Olowska, Mao Yan, Yto Barrada, Kiki Kogelnik, and Robert Longo. At Nicola Vassell, a presentation of new paintings by Deborah Anzinger will examine the ways the artist works with ground cookshop charcoal, a fuel indigenous to her native Jamaica. In the Breguet booth, ‘Resisting Time’, curated by independent curator Somi Sim, will look at the concept of time through artists including Hanne Darboven and Julien Coignet. Marianne Boesky Gallery will showcase Danielle Mckinney’s first U.K. solo presentation, shining a light on her paintings of female figures, caught in moments of leisure.

To celebrate Frieze London’s 20 years, eight established artists have been invited to propose a solo exhibition from an emerging artist. For Tracey Emin, Margate-based Vanessa Raw’s paintings are a natural choice; for Olafur Eliasson, it is Fabian Knecht and his installation of pieces of clothing used as camouflage to protect Russian targets in Ukraine. Anthea Hamilton champions Carlos Villa’s 1980s body-print series, Wolfgang Tillmans’ new sculptures and silver gelatin prints by Mark Barker. Meanwhile, the Modern Institute is showcasing the work of artists Rachel Eulena Williams, Jim Lambie and Andrew Sim and more

Elsewhere, talks not to miss include Thomas J Price in conversation with Gus Casely-Hayford (director, V&A East), Arlene Shechet in conversation with Sheena Wagstaff, and Rachel Whiteread with art historian Briony Fer. Towards the end of the week, catch Maggi Hambling, Sarah Lucas and Louisa Buck and Mandy El Sayegh, Flavia Frigeri and Valerie Cassel Olive.

Frieze London 2023: what to see outside the fair

There’s a packed programme of shows, performances and talks taking place around London during Frieze. 

Listen: Art for Thought Coffee Cocktail evening 

Illycaffè’s collaboration with arts club The Cultivist is a fruitful one. A series of evening talks at the Michelin-starred Apricity will see experts lead the way on arts-based topics. Joey Lico, executive director of The Cultivist (and former director at the New York Foundation for the Arts and art advisor to the White House under the Obama administration) will advise ‘How to Build an Art House’ on 9 October, while curator at the Victoria & Albert Museum East, Dr Madeline Haddon, will discuss ‘Art Through the Ages’ on 23 October. Guests can relax, learn and sip on their coffee cocktails. 

Tickets available @ £40 per person from Eventbrite.co.uk

Listen: Ruinart x Talkart podcast at Serpentine Pavilion

Maison Ruinart and Serpentine have teamed up to explore the possibilities in contemporary art. This live TalkArt podcast recording, the first in a series, will see contemporary artist Eva Jospin and Talk Art Podcast hosts Russell Tovey and Robert Diament discuss Jospin’s inspirations behind Ruinart Carte Blanche Commission, Promenade(s).

Tickets available from Eventbrite.co.uk

See: Saatchi Yates

Catch Brooklyn-based artist Will St John chatting to journalist and photographer Marc C O’Flaherty on 9 October. See St John’s work while you are there, on show until 22 October.

saatchiyates.com/

Do: Minor Attractions

Don’t miss this ‘non-fair’ of performance, music and nightlife, held across two weeks at two different London sites. 

minorattractions.com/Minor-Attractions

154 Contemporary African Art Fair

Held for the 11th year at Somerset House, this year’s exhibition will host over 60 international exhibitors, making it the largest show to date. 

1-54.com/london

See Saatchi Yates and Will St. John kick off Frieze Week with an exhibition and cabaret

Saatchi Yates is marking the beginning of Frieze London 2023 with a celebration of its three year anniversary. To commemorate the the occasion, the space will host an exhibition with artist Will St. John, who created classically influenced portraits of New York’s drag queens and trans community through painting and sculpture. The gallery will be hosting a talk at 6:30 on Monday 9 th October which is open to the public and his eponymous exhibition itself will be running until 22nd October.

wallpaper.com

Don't miss: Nanomuseum, a limited-edition collaboration between French jewelry house Dauphin and Serpentine Galleries, at Dover Street Market

Charlotte Dauphin and Hans Ulrich Obrist have worked together to create a series of pieces inspired by works of art.  

london.doverstreetmarket.com

Visit: Kaws' takeover of London’s Shreeji News

Gabriel Chipperfield, who transformed the newsagent’s in 2020, creating a salon and reading room and space for events and exhibitions, as well as a wide selection of magazines, let Kaws lead the way when it came to his residency

wallpaper.com

Visit: Avant Arte at Matches

Avant Arte is taking over Matches townhouse at 5 Carlos Place, London, during Frieze, with the installation on display until 4 November. 

avantarte.com

Fall down the rabbit hole into Charlotte Colbert’s Frieze Week dreamland

‘Dreamland Sirens’, a London exhibition from Charlotte Colbert, is curated by Simon de Pury and LA-based gallery UTA Artist Space

wallpaper.com

Don't miss: MJ Harper’s performance piece at London’s Koko 

Artist MJ Harper will premiere ‘Arias for a New World’ at Koko in London this Sunday, 15 October 2023

wallpaper.com

See: Bronx-Based Artist Kenny Rivero's UK debut

The artist's first exhibition outside of the US and Mexico unites his paintings and drawings at Charles Moffett, No. 9 Cork Street, from 5 - 21 October.

https://charlesmoffett.com/artists/13-kenny-rivero/

See:  Yinka Ilori's piece created for member's club George for Frieze London

Yinka Ilori draws on his Nigerian heritage for the piece on show at George Club throughout Frieze. 

georgeclub.com

With Frieze London 2023 hitting town this week (11 – 15 October), we look back on 20 years of Frieze.

When Frieze magazine held its first art fair back in 2003, it solidified what had been happening on London’s contemporary art scene for the last decade. The city was buzzing, attracting people from around the world, but until Frieze, there had been no single location to bring them all together.

After the arrival of the YBAs in the late 1980s, galleries like White Cube, Sadie Coles HQ and Victoria Miro were on the ascendency, but a central meeting point was needed that could match the verve of what was happening in the galleries. ‘Right from the outset, it was about blurring boundaries and thinking about Frieze as not just a trade fair,’ says Frieze London’s director Eva Langret. ‘It’s also a commissioning outfit with the artists’ projects, it’s an educational platform with the talks programme, and it’s a meeting place for the wider arts community.’

Since its inception, the fair has been innovating the experience through citywide collaborations and free public initiatives like Frieze Sculpture. And 20 years down the line, galleries still bring new ideas to Frieze before trying them elsewhere. Whether it’s a colossal sale price, or the meticulous recreation of an iconic artist’s studio, the fair has been grabbing column inches for two decades.

Eva Langret on 20 years of Frieze

In 2003, reading about the first edition from her parents’ garden in France, Langret remembers wanting to attend. Having spent time as an Erasmus student in London, she had already tapped into the city’s creative buzz. Two years later, she would be there.

‘The first Frieze I went to was in 2005. That’s the first year I came to London, and I remember that it was my boss from Brixton gallery 198 Contemporary Art & Learning who kindly paid for my ticket. I got dressed up to the nines and was completely overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of everything that there was to see and how global it was already.’

Like so many people who now work in the industry, she saw something that she wanted to, and could, participate in. The fair’s founders, Amanda Sharp and Matthew Slotover, had filled a much-needed gap that pushed the art market forward. Frieze brought creativity and commerce closer together, blurring the lines between art and its buyers. This later evolved into also offering live music and talks, as well as events that spilled out into other parts of the city.

‘I think that’s what put Frieze on that trajectory and set us apart,’ says Langret. ‘It was the vision of Matthew and Amanda, and it’s one that we’re all still carrying through 20 years later, in what is now a wildly different artistic landscape with so many art fairs.’

Frieze fair veteran Alison Jacques is opening a new 6,000 sq ft space on Cork Street to accompany the gallery’s existing Fitzrovia gallery this autumn, launching it during Frieze Week. ‘In 2003, Frieze felt like one of the most exciting things to happen to London since the opening of Tate Modern three years earlier,’ says Jacques. ‘There was a buzz that reminded me of the energy of the YBA years and the opening of “Sensation” at the Royal Academy in 1997. Everyone in the international art world came into town for the week. The biggest names in the collecting world and major museum curators flew in to look and buy. It was an exciting time for galleries, and it changed the local market in London, cultivating many new collectors.’

In 2021, Frieze added a permanent exhibition space to its portfolio, opening up No. 9 Cork Street. The gallery, headed up by Selvi May Akyildiz, will this year host shows by Australia’s Sullivan & Strumpf, New York's Charles Moffett, and LA's Night Gallery. 'In addition to our exhibition programme, this summer, No. 9 organised the first Cork Street Carnival, a celebration of Afro-Cuban music with dance workshops and street food vendors,’ said Akyildiz. ‘I can’t wait for everyone to visit these incredible shows and help us celebrate 20 years of Frieze London.’

The UK capital provided the blueprint, but more incarnations soon followed: Frieze Masters, which shows work made before the year 2000, and Frieze New York both launched in 2012, while Frieze hit LA in 2019 and Seoul in 2022. When looking to expand, the Frieze team looks for a certain ecosystem. Says Langret, ‘We choose the cities we work with because they have a thriving artistic community, as well as their own restaurant and fashion scenes. Then the mission is to work out how the fair can sort of be a pinnacle moment in the city’s cultural calendar.’

Frieze has also taken its financial successes and stepped in to help cultural institutions in the UK, taking the fair out of the tent and into the year-round fabric of the city. Acquisition initiatives with Tate and Camden Art Centre have long been a great help to both institutions when acquiring work at the fair. And now, in a new venture, Artist-to-Artist the fair has invited a group of leading artists, including Olafur Eliasson, Tracey Emin and Wolfgang Tillmans, to nominate an artist for a solo exhibition at Frieze London, tapping into the creative community and pushing for Langret’s passion, a more diverse art landscape.

‘I think to continue to be supportive of the wider ecosystem is something that’s quite unique to us, and we’re in the privileged position to be able to share the energy and success of the fair,’ says Langret. And as the city changes, so does Frieze. Although it can always be found in its regular October spot, much like London, it has never stopped evolving to survive. 

Frieze London and Frieze Masters are on show from 11-15 October 2023 in Regent’s Park, London NW1, frieze.com

This article appears in the November 2023 issue of Wallpaper*, available in print, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today

Welcome to our November Art issue! Headlining are two cultural superstars – Takashi Murakami with a potent mix of pandemic-inspired creatures, eye-popping flowers, NFTs, avatars and 17th-century Japanese motifs for his latest show at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, and Ryan Murphy, the prolific film and TV producer, who takes us on a tour of his offices, which were inspired by the glamour and hedonism of American fashion designer Halston, as brought to life in the Netflix mini-series Halston, which Murphy executive produced.

Then on to more fantasy interiors with our vision of shared public spaces – including a dream canteen, an outdoor escape and the hotshot’s hideaway. We take a peek at three sculptural houses that highlight the tactile qualities of concrete. Located in Mexico, Canada and Belgium, they treat architecture as a volumetric exercise, sometimes appearing monolithic, while others take more elaborate, articulated forms.

We celebrate 20 years of the Frieze Art Fair with an exclusive interview with Eva Langret, director of Frieze London, and create our very own private view with an art-inspired fashion shoot at the David Zwirner Gallery, London, set against a backdrop of works by Brazilian artist Odoteres Ricardo de Ozias. Art’s most provocative duo Gilbert & George present their vibrant vision of the ‘Lady Dior’ bag, while Dutch designer Sabine Marcelis shows us her take on the iconic (and ironic) 1960s lava lamp. 

Finally, we visit the blockbuster Chanel exhibition at London’s V&A, which explores the six-decade-long career of the legendary French couturier. We were granted privileged access to the collection, and hand-picked six exquisite evening gowns from the 1930s, which we photographed as fashion as art, and which perfectly capture the timeless elegance of Chanel. I hope you enjoy the issue!

Sarah Douglas
Editor-in-Chief

The November 2023 issue of Wallpaper* is available in print from 5 October, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today

The well-heeled fairgoers at Frieze New York 2023 (17 – 21 May) were immediately blown away – literally – as they arrived at a blustery Hudson Yards for the fair’s VIP preview, upended coiffures discreetly restored as they filed into The Shed. Over 60 galleries from 27 countries – featuring a strong contingent hailing from New York, among them Karma, Matthew Marks Gallery and 303 Gallery – are presenting a market-fresh buffet of contemporary art at the Diller Scofidio + Renfro-designed building over the next few days. There’s a healthy dose of new faces too: galleries participating in Frieze New York (now in its 11th year, with the wider Frieze platform itself marking 20 years in 2023) for the first time include Arcadia Missa, Neue Alte Brücke, Silverlens, Emalin, Whistle, Mitre Galeria and Derosia.

Artists have seemingly rebounded from the dark toil of the past few years, echoed by the sense of optimism in an array of dazzling and kaleidoscopic works on display, from Robb Pruit’s meditative ombré canvases and Sanford Biggers’ chromatic cubes at Massimo de Carlo to a brilliant new mixed-media painting at Victoria Miro and chromatic works at Esther Schipper by Ann Veronica Janssens, Angela Bulloch, Matti Braun and Jac Leirner. Studious presentations, such as the abstract paintings of the late Jack Whitten at Hauser & Wirth and Suzan Frecon at David Zwirner countered these.

New York artists, too, are having a star turn at this year’s fair. Pace Gallery, which ambitiously opened six solo exhibitions in the city last week by Matthew Day Jackson, Nigel Cooke, Maysha Mohamedi, Trevor Paglen, and Grada Kilomba, gave over its Frieze booth to Yale-educated, Brooklyn-based artist Robert Nava, spotlighting fantastical new and recent works on paper ahead of his first museum survey in Europe next month. Also based in Brooklyn and the recipient of the inaugural Frieze Artadia Prize, Jessica Vaughn debuted a major site-specific commission examining ‘how American life is pictured, felt and structured’ – the culmination of a three-year-long exploration of the United States Postal Service.

With photography often an endangered species at major art fairs, Gagosian’s decision to present a solo booth of eight grid works by Nan Goldin (the artist recently signed with the gallery) was a bold and welcome one. Still, we devoured the few and far between photo-media works, including Luke Fowler’s prints at The Modern Institute and a Roe Ethridge still life at Andrew Kreps Gallery. In the Focus section dedicated to younger galleries, Jagdeep Raina’s embroideries at Toronto-based Cooper Cole were admired as were Emma Prempeh’s intimate paintings at first-time Frieze New York exhibitor Tiwani Contemporary. 

The Artist Plate Project, meanwhile, launched its newest series of limited-edition dinner plates (in a tempting tote bag-friendly size, we noted) designed by artists such as Virgil Abloh, Marilyn Minter, Ed Ruscha and Mickalene Thomas. Funds raised will directly benefit the Coalition for the Homeless, providing food, crisis services, housing and other critical aid. 

Frieze New York 2023: beyond the booths

As ever, the city’s illustrious institutions are complementing the main fair with an electrifying programme of exhibitions and events during Frieze Week. So to Queens, where 2023 Loewe Foundation Craft Prize winner Eriko Inazaki is showcased alongside the award’s finalists in the first public exhibition to be staged in Isamu Noguchi’s former studio (directly across from the Noguchi Museum in Long Island City). The first US museum survey of Josh Kline, meanwhile, spans over a decade of the American artist’s work, including new installations and moving image works that address the escalating climate crisis and the hotter, more dangerous future looming.

Swiss conceptual artist Pamela Rosenkranz has branched out on the High Line with a 25ft neon pink tree, its limbs and roots mirroring blood vessels. Crowds have been flocking to the Met to immerse themselves in the creative mind of designer (and one-time Wallpaper* guest editor) Karl Lagerfeld (‘Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty’ runs until 16 July) but also not to be missed at the museum is the focused survey of New York-based painter Cecily Brown. The exhibition brings together some 50 paintings, drawings, sketchbooks and monotypes – many recently completed – delving deep into the artist’s preoccupations with themes of vanitas, still lifes and memento mori. Meanwhile, ancient Egyptian symbolism, 1960s utopian architecture and graffiti tagging collide in Lauren Halsey’s roof garden commission for the Met: an inviting full-scale structure that pays homage to the community spirit of her native Los Angeles. 

Frieze New York 2023 runs until 21 May at The Shed, New York. frieze.com

Beyond the all-important art, Frieze New York 2023 will be a moment for wardrobe triumphs, polished anecdotes and shameless peacocking, all served with a side portion of prime-cut art world gossip.

But in this tented ecosystem of back-to-back booths, price-less art, and the who’s who of culture that is a Frieze event, it can be hard to know where you stand. Fortunately, the Wallpaper* arts desk has devised a handy personality test so you can identify yourself. 

Who are you at Frieze New York 2023?

1. The champagne visualist

You love a nice bit of art, but you’re susceptible to Brain-Frieze (a state of bewilderment owing to excessive art consumption). Luckily, there’s an antidote: Frieze’s pop-up champagne bars, your first and final destination. 

Most likely to say… great art, where’s the Ruinart?

Wouldn’t be seen dead talking to… those who think art should be viewed sober

2. The scoop hunter

You'll be visibly armed with a notebook and pen (the Notes app won’t hold the same gravitas), a tote bag pledging magazine allegiance, and a look of furious purpose. For four days, this tent is the front line of the art world. There’s an angle somewhere, and it must be unearthed.

Most likely to say… anything ending with a question mark

Wouldn’t be seen dead talking to… an NFT publicist

3. The selfie seeker

Mirror mirror on the wall, who’s the art fair-est of them all? Two things are guaranteed at any art fair: 1) art involving reflective surfaces. 2) visitors photographing themselves in those reflective surfaces. Whether you’re warped, filtered, fragmented or overlaid with text, not only did you visit Frieze New York, you became the art and your Instagram followers need proof. 

Most likely to say… your Instagram handle, at an unnecessarily high volume

Wouldn’t be seen dead talking to… those who ‘don’t do social media’

4. The expert navigator

You’ve got a physical fair map in hand and your route forensically planned. Each booth stop is timed (factoring in inevitable social encounters and champagne re-fuels). Everything must be seen; maximum efficiency is imperative. 

Wouldn’t be seen dead talking to… anyone who delays the schedule 

Most likely to say… as little as possible

5. The sartorial scout

On this unofficial catwalk, you’re just as interested in what people wear as the wares on show. Just be sure to navigate the tote bag politics; the Wallpaper* tote is a safe option (but we would say that). 

Wouldn’t be seen dead talking to… anyone wearing the same look

Most likely to say… who are you wearing?

6. The art fair lifer

You’re the most seasoned of fair-goers. 2023 circuit to date? Completed it. You’re operating in every time zone, but still reeling from Seoul-induced jet lag and Frieze London afterparties. The booths are blurring into one and you’re walking around with Kusama dots permanently stained on your retinas. 

Wouldn’t be seen dead talking to… anyone quoting prices in GBP

Most likely to say… see you in Basel!

Frieze New York 2023 runs from 17-21 May 2023 at The Shed, New York. 

frieze.com

When it comes to Los Angeles exhibitions, the scene is undergoing something of a gold rush. Drawn to the city's light, space and multifarious identifies, a flurry of East Coast-anchored and European galleries have announced new outposts in Los Angeles, including Pace, Lisson, Sean Kelly, The Hole and Hauser & Wirth, which anchor the city during events like the relatively nascent (but monumental in scope) Frieze Los Angeles fair. 

Nowhere does art quite like Los Angeles. Explore the top Los Angeles exhibitions to visit under the California sun

Los Angeles exhibitions: current

Thomas Albdorf: ‘Body Double’
Until 29 July 2023
Webber LA

Open now at Webber’s new LA outpost, Thomas Albdorfs ‘Body Double’ explores visual myth-building. It’s a practice common to Los Angeles, the setting to which Albdorf alludes, with its associations of Hollywood and sun-soaked concrete; and also to AI imaging processes, a tool of the artist’s, which invent the unreal through reference to the real. Talking about the future of photography, the Austrian artist tells us, ‘I am concerned about losing our connection with reality, our way of looking at and engaging with the world through a camera, but I am also curious about where artificial images can lead us too.’ With this concern and curiosity existing simultaneously, Albdorf’s ‘Body Double’ asks us to reflect upon the assumptions we make of our visual languages and the consequential narratives. 

webberrepresents.com

Dawoud Bey & Carrie Mae Weems: ‘In Dialogue’
Getty Center
Until 9 July 2023

After meeting each other both aged just 23, Dawoud Bey and Carrie Mae Weems individually grew influential practices across the past five decades while sharing a dialogue of creativity, identity, and social consciousness. Now, in this Los Angeles exhibition at the Getty Center, audiences are for the first time fully let in on the dynamic connections and contrasts between these artist friends as they explore the everyday realities of Black Americans across changing years, while also speaking to the broader human condition. 

getty.edu

Christine Sun Kim: ‘Bounce Back’
ICA LA
Until 10 September 2023

Berlin-based American artist Christine Sun Kim will soon adorn the façade of the ICA in a new large-scale mural that engages with the limits and possibilities of language (spoken, signed, or scripted). Bounce Back (2022) takes debt as its subject, signed in American Sign Language (ASL) by one index finger tapping the open palm of the other. The piece explores how one sign can carry a number of nuanced meanings in ASL, as well as layered issues of systemic inequity and the experience of those in debt. 

theicala.org

When it comes to this year's art festivities (also including 20 years of Frieze to be marked at the London fair in October), few are doing it quite like Frieze Los Angeles 2023. This week, the art world glitterati have flocked to the city for a mega-moment on the art calendar; it’s all systems go for Frieze Week (16–19 February 2023)

Continuing the city’s art gold rush, a host of major galleries and auction houses have recently, or will soon open new outposts, including Philips, David Zwirner, Lisson, and Karma. Four art fairs will run concurrently in February during what is now dubbed Frieze Week Los Angeles. They include the headliner Frieze Los Angeles, Felix LA, Spring/Break Art Show LA and newcomer Photo Forward Los Angeles. 

It’s time to dig out your most extravagant garb, brush up on your art-themed anecdotes, and gear up for the most thrilling week on the LA art calendar. To sufficiently prepare, we would suggest taking the art fair personality test to work out what type of fairgoer you are. 

There’s a lot to see, so we’ve whittled down a selection of 11 LA art exhibitions we’re most excited about during Frieze Los Angeles 2023. 

What to see during Frieze Los Angeles 2023

1. Frieze Los Angeles 2023: the fair

The Frieze Los Angeles 2023 fair is the series’ biggest show in LA to date and sees a return to pre-pandemic capacity, with the new location of Santa Monica Airport cementing the fair’s ever-expanding might. Some 120 galleries representing 22 countries will take over the airport’s Barker Hangar, a separate exhibition tent, and the outdoor space surrounding the airfield. The 2023 fair will offer a newly expanded Focus section (for galleries aged 12 years and younger), welcoming artists from across the US. As Christine Messineo, Frieze’s fair director, Americas, stated: ‘In 2023, we will also push beyond the borders of the fair and encourage our visitors to explore everything LA’s West Side has to offer, from major institutions to smaller spaces that form the fabric of the city’s art community.’

2. Refik Anadol: Living Paintings
14 February – 8 April 2023
Jeffrey Deitch

If you’re connected to the art world and have an Instagram account, it would be rare for you to have avoided the mesmerising, AI-driven work of Turkish artist Refik Anadol. For his upcoming show at Jeffrey Deitch, 'Living Paintings’ (his first in LA and coinciding with Frieze Los Angeles 2023), the artist will showcase the artist’s California-related datasets that blend urban life, nature and futuristic reflections on effective collaborations between humans and machines. 

3. Anne Imhof: ‘EMO’
15 February – 6 May 2023
Sprüth Magers LA

After she gripped the Venice Biennale with a divisive yet Golden Lion-winning German Pavilion in 2017; Paris with her Palais de Tokyo Carte Blanche in 2021; and most recently, London, with her psychological thriller ‘Avatar II’, German artist Anne Imhof is about to offer similar treatment to visitors during Frieze Los Angeles 2023. ‘EMO’ is the artist’s first LA show, and largest in the US to date, combining media-spanning work with industrial found objects to probe the dark underbelly of contemporary culture to disorientating effect. 

4. George Condo: ‘People Are Strange’
Hauser & Wirth, Santa Monica Boulevard
15 Feb – 22 Apr 2023

The title of George Condo’s show at Hauser & Wirth ‘People Are Strange’ on during Frieze Los Angeles 2023 is taken from the hit 1967 song of the same name by Los Angeles band The Doors. It’s a fitting summary of a show that draws on the seductive incongruities of Los Angeles society and demonstrates Condo’s deft and distinctive approach to figurative painting and sculpture in which bulgy-eyed, contorted-limbed characters are at once monstrous, whimsical and psychologically searing. Condo’s is the inaugural show at Hauser & Wirth’s second LA space, located on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood. 

5. Christine Sun Kim: Bounce Back
ICA LA
11 February – 10 September 2023

Berlin-based American artist Christine Sun Kim will soon adorn the façade of the ICA in a new large-scale mural that engages with the limits and possibilities of language (spoken, signed, or scripted). Bounce Back (2022) takes debt as its subject, signed in American Sign Language (ASL) by one index finger tapping the open palm of the other. The piece explores how one sign can carry a number of nuanced meanings in ASL, as well as layered issues of systemic inequity and the experience of those in debt. 

6. Simone Forti
MoCA
15 January – 2 April 2023

Surveying six decades of the American-Italian artist’s work, Simone Forti is the first exhibition on the West Coast to explore the monumental career of an artist known for reframing the dialogue between visual art and contemporary dance. The show includes works on paper, videos, holograms, and performance ephemera and documentation, and will be punctuated by weekly performances of her Dance Constructions, featuring a cast of Los Angeles-based artists and creatives.

7. ‘William Kentridge: ‘In Praise of Shadows’
12 November – 9 April 2023
The Broad

William Kentridge is South Africa’s most influential contemporary artist, creating compelling work that holds a mirror to the limits of human intervention in society, not just in South Africa but worldwide. ‘In Praise of Shadows’, spans 35 years of Kentridge’s practice, featuring more than 130 works in an engaging and interactive design by Belgian designer Sabine Theunissen. The show is the latest in a series of major moments for the artist globally, which included an acclaimed show at London’s Royal Academy of Arts.

8. Nadia Yaron: ‘For the flowers and the clouds and the wind and the trees’
Francis Gallery
Until 25 March

Nadia Yaron’s show at the newly-opened Francis Gallery is an ode to the natural world. The artist, who works from a 19th-century barn in Hudson, NY drew directly on her surroundings for 32 sculptures in wood, stone and metal. ‘I work mostly outside from spring to autumn and am immersed in nature. This show is a tribute, a way to say thank you to these elements for their beauty and wisdom and all the joy they bring to our lives,’ she says. 

9. ‘Cine São José’, by Estúdio Campana
Friedman Benda
15 February – 15 April 2023

As the design community continues to reflect on the life, work and contributions of Fernando Campana, who died in November 2022, a show at Friedman Benda to coincide with Frieze Los Angeles will honour Estúdio Campana’s monumental impact on 21st-century culture. ‘Cine São José’, which Deyan Sudjic describes as a ‘recalibration’ of objects in contemporary design will highlight key moments from the first 15 years of the studio’s existence and present a selection of new works. 

10. Zora J Murff: ‘We Here For Some Jive Conspiracy’
Webber Gallery
18 February - 31 March 2023

Webber’s inaugural Los Angeles exhibition, ‘We Here For Some Jive Conspiracy’ by  Zora J Murff is a continuation of the American artist’s exploration of America’s labyrinthine racial complexities. This time Murff homes in on Los Angeles, with an amalgamation of mixed media approaches. As Murrff turns our attention towards OJ Simpson, Kanye West and Bobby Seale, parallels and contrasts are drawn between police violence, celebrity and protest, oppression and resilience. On the walls of the show, visitors will read the artist's powerful words, ‘We have the power to transcend divisions and to free Ourselves and others, but liberation necessitates action over sentiment. What can you find here past cultural entertainment? What messages do you take from what you see? This is a confrontation.’

Writer: Sophie Gladstone

11: Frieze Projects: ‘Against the Edge’ 

'Against the Edge' is a five-part constellation of shows that have popped up in culturally significant sites across LA and imagine new dialogues between site and artist, history and fiction. Taking its name from an interview in The Idea of the West, a book by Fritz Haeg and Doug Aitken in Aitken’s book, the project has been curated by Jay Ezra Nayssan and Del Vaz Projects. The five locations are the Santa Monica Pier, Thomas Mann House, Beyond Baroque, Villa Aurora, and Del Vaz Projects. 

Frieze Los Angeles 2023 runs from 16-19 February 2023 at Santa Monica Airport, Los Angeles. frieze.com

The Los Angeles-based artist Patrick Jackson was in search of what he calls a ‘third element’ to orchestrate a contrast with the eerie sleekness of his new wall reliefs and vertical vitrine sculptures. ‘I was looking for a venue that would combine a store from a science fiction and typical museum architecture,’ he tells Wallpaper*. ‘I wanted to diverge from the typical gallery aesthetic that is so perfect that a computer seems to have designed it.’

After presenting an exhibition at his Los Angeles apartment in the past, Jackson this time contemplated the idea of presenting the show at a mall, or a store. Serendipitously, a suggestion from the artist’s long-term gallerist François Ghebaly quenched the artist’s desire to exhibit outside of a white cube. The dealer was on the cusp of opening his Hollywood district expansion at a former warehouse, and he offered Jackson the space dressed with utilitarian details of industrial use for an exhibition. In response to the artist’s appetite for a lived environment, Ghebaly even put a halt on renovating the 3,000 sq ft space to maintain its character. 

Patrick Jackson’s 'Liquid Clay' 

‘Liquid Clay’ which opened just ahead of Frieze Los Angeles 2023 features seven life-size glass shelf displays united by geometrically curvacious acrylic columns. Unabashedly commercial yet distinctly subversive, each vitrine displays the same object in obsessive amounts, veiled by the liquid sheen of its transparent scaffolding and the objects’ kaleidoscopic reflections over the glass surfaces. A motley of honey-coloured teddy bears with deadpan eyes fills five vertical layers in the aptly-titled Teddy Bears (2023), while shoes, bathroom towels, or electronic goods occupy other akin totemic sculptures. From a flamboyant store that sells acrylic European furniture named Italy 2000 in the city’s La Brea neighbourhood to Terrence Malick’s 1973-dated classic film Badlands, the influences for the series share the commonality of prompting Jackson to think about ‘objects whose values are defined by their relationships to us.’  

Familiarity with the body radiates more starkly in twelve wall reliefs which Jackson created in 2016, 2019, and last year with a water-based clay called WED. The material’s title is a fitting salute to the show’s location as the acronym stands for Walter E. Disney for whom the extremely soft material (also known as EM 217) was invented to create cartoon figures and masks. Unlike the clinical sharpness of the display structures, Jackson’s loose handling of the clay works is extremely immediate, as well as personal—so much that the body parts depicted in the reliefs stem from the artist’s drawings and sketches from the last twenty-five years. Hands, feet, tongues, and teeth appear throughout the oozing surfaces which serve as chronicles of the artist’s subliminal and creative journey from a quarter century. ‘There are different opportunities in using what comes out of a store in L.A. and let your consciousness dictate what your hands make with clay,’ he adds.  

Nostalgia has been a haunting theme in Jackson’s oeuvre. In 2018, his one-bedroom apartment was the backdrop for DUM MUD, an exhibition of ceramic sculptures and wall reliefs peppered around the setting’s deserted domesticity; or he has created exact replicas of his own body, detailed enough to render the missing nail on a pinkie toe, too.

The artist’s 2014 exhibition The Third Floor at François Ghebaly bridged architecture with the psyche. The three-story exhibition paid homage to the Freudian layers of the human consciousness with each floor: the top room’s super-ego display had a resin sculpture of a boy; abstract ceramic works took over the middle ground’s ego room; and the sunken bottom space was reserved for the id with glazed mugs filled with epoxy and resin. ‘The way we never see everything at the same time in films amazes me, and I try to replicate that feeling with architecturally-focused shows,’ Jackson says. ‘The viewer walks from one room to the next like watching a film’s scenes—they can only juxtapose two separate pieces together in their heads, similar to experiencing a movie.’

Discussing the gallery’s pending metamorphosis into a white cube gallery space after his show, ‘I am interested in the space’s past more than the future of it.’ For him, objects, as much as architecture, resonate with the memories of the body, from a childhood toy, an adulthood apartment, or a missing toenail. ‘Hugging a teddy bear or drying ourselves with a towel leaves our physical memory on these objects, as much as our presence leaves marks on a place.’ 

Patrick Jackson, ‘Liquid Clay’ is on view until 4 March 2023 at François Ghebaly, West Hollywood. ghebaly.com

The work of American artist Stanya Kahn is rooted in Los Angeles. It’s also rooted in survival: of the planet, nature and humanity. 

These are all themes the artist explored to poignant effect in ‘Forest for the Trees’, a 2020 show at Vielmetter gallery in Los Angeles, and will be expanded upon at Frieze Los Angeles 2023. There, the artist will conceive ‘Understory’, an installation for the R.U.in.ART Commission, which, each year, invites a Californian artist to conceive a commission in Maison Ruinart’s lounge at the fair. 

Held in Frieze’s new location of Santa Monica Airport from 16-19 February 2023, Kahn’s commission, titled ‘Understory’, will see natural forms collide with symbols of human intervention, to inspire ‘wonder, inspiration, reflection, and criticality that might inspire transformation and new thinking’ for those who visit. 

‘I am grateful for the opportunity to show work I care about, to make new things and to show work at the fair for out-of-town visitors who may have missed my recent show (which was unlike anything I’ve made before). Ruinart describes a commitment to sustainability and understanding of biodiversity which seems crucial, [and] mandatory if we’re to survive,’ Kahn tells Wallpaper*. 

This is a sentiment shared by Fabien Vallérian, international director of arts and culture at Maison Ruinart: ‘The awareness that Stanya Kahn’s artworks raise is in line with the values that Ruinart champions, such as sustainability and biodiversity. By portraying wild and invented species gazing back at us, she puts the spotlight on human accountability and the necessity to change our interface with the natural world.’

The installation will be one hope but also caution, seeking to capture the ‘understory of the Anthropocene’ – one of imbalance and exploitation. Kahn’s original proposal for ‘Understory’ was a fountain adorned with porcelain skulls, but due to time constraints, the artist thought again. Instead, her installation comprises ethereal paintings – depicting solitary animals in fantastical landscapes – a series of porcelain skulls and ceramic stoneware vessels posed on tree stumps, as well as ancient volcanic rocks from the Eastern Sierra along the pathway of LA’s primary aqueduct. ‘I wanted to make objects that appear as remnants of the impossible, that might confound an assuredness towards history, opening up questions about how it’s written and who and what gets left out of official canon, and in turn help us imagine new possibilities,’ she says.

Kahn’s installation explores how humans throughout time have imprinted their impressions of the world onto objects. Her vessels will feature hand-carved images of animals and human skulls (the latter serving as a memento mori, a symbol of the life cycle, and a warning about our path of human-made destruction). ‘I wanted to make things that look like artefacts but are also contemporary works that raise thoughts about the complicated (and beguiling) problems of interpretation, representation, image-making and culture formation,’ she says. ‘And of course, the ancient form of the vessel is one of our earliest technological inventions: a way to get water from its source in nature to the community, still an urgent issue today.’

Kahn’s vivid paintings will feature a range of animals, each conveying their own narrative: an endangered ivory-billed woodpecker; Harambe, the slain silver-back gorilla from Cincinnati Zoo; and a coyote who set up home in Kahn’s own back garden. The scenes are at once joyous in their apparent lack of human interference, yet poignant in their fantasy. Each painting will be framed in deep-set planks of old-growth redwood sourced from the walls of Kahn’s studio, their breadth allowing Kahn to embed each with ceramic snakes, skulls, and other artefact-esque organisms, creating a diorama within a window to another world. 

While Kahn doesn’t frame her work as social practice, or believe art to be ‘the primary arena for social change’, she does hope the installation will prompt an ‘awareness of power and questions of agency, distress and resistance’.

As part of the installation, visitors will have the opportunity to take away a unique, palm-sized ceramic vessel (limited to an edition of 100), allowing each to reflect on the ‘tactile mindfulness’ of Kahn’s show, at the fair and well beyond. The vessels, featuring a smooth unglazed surface also embedded with imagery of skulls, snakes, and birds, are intentionally delicate to reflect the precarity of Earth’s inhabitants. 

‘It was Ruinart’s idea to have a takeaway element to the installation, something they’ve done in the past and I like that idea. Instead of having mass multiples fabricated as souvenirs, I decided to hand-make them myself (I don’t work with assistants, I make everything),’ she says. ‘It means that people will have a unique, handmade object (each one is slightly different in size and shape and imprint) that is a reminder of slow production, human labour at human scale, the presence of a body, working.’ 

Stanya Kahn's installation ‘Understory’, will be held at Maison Ruinart’s lounge at Frieze Los Angeles 2023. The fair will run from 16-19 February at Santa Monica Airport. frieze.com; ruinart.com

If we do have to time spend substantial time in the metaverse, at least let Matt Pyke of the digital art collective Universal Everything design it. Or perhaps more accurately, be its benign, divine creative force, its bringer of life. 

For almost two decades, Pyke has been experimenting with generative design, birthing moving digital creatures. The studio’s digital menagerie really does move, run, dance, parade and prance with an astonishing physicality. It also, unapologetically, delights and entrances.

‘Lifeforms’, the studio's new show in the subterranean 180 The Strand, sees 14 of its digital bestiary within Ab Rogers-designed ‘habitats’. As Pyke says, the show is not a sweeping retrospective – animating new life is just one part of what the studio does – but it’s a comprehensive walkthrough of the different media they work in: video, immersive pieces, interactive pieces, graphic design, architecture and even lenticulars. And it gets to Universal Everything’s essential mission.

Pyke is a techno enthusiast and optimist, a champion of advanced technology as a tool for engineering uplift and enchantment. The show’s meticulous renderings of upright movement, perambulation, sprinting, shape-making, and of material in motion, are the fullest, most convincing expression of that optimism.

‘There is just something fundamentally human about walking,’ Pyke says. ‘It’s a beautiful, natural, graphic way of depicting life. And rather than creating a narrative or some form of storytelling, you have this almost mesmerising banality. The fact that these things walk or run forever suggests infinite energy or an infinite journey and it's somehow utopian.’ As the show’s moving forms – big, hairy, rock or mineral, liquid or gaseous, plant-based and even architectural – miraculously mutate and re-make themselves, they also get to the defining magic of generative technology and design, its ability to create the new and unique all by itself. ‘We think of it as designing the seed,’ Pyke says. ‘As the designer or artist, we define the visual parameters, the range of colours or material or forms. And then within those rules, infinite iterations can be created. It's our way of creating the boundaries of the playground. And then when you press “go”, it generates these forms that interest me and surprise me. It's like letting something out into the wild.’

That impulse to render life forms has always been a driver for Pyke. He studied botanical and technical illustration as well as design and typography before spending a decade at the Sheffield-based studio The Designers Republic, best known for its work with Warp Records and for pioneering games packaging, including for the first iteration of Grand Theft Auto.

In 2004 Pyke, still based in Sheffield, went solo and started looking online for interesting 3D animators and programmers. He found them in Germany, San Francisco, Japan and South America and the studio remains an international digital collective with a core UK-based team working with over 60 architects, engineers, designers, cinematographers, animators, musicians and developers around the world. 

From the outset, Pyke was determined on merging graphic design and moving image and quickly became interested in designing his own creative tools rather than using off-the-shelf design software. ‘We wanted to create things that didn't exist and explore the edge of technology,’ he says. That push to experiment quickly attracted commercial clients and Universal Everything’s list of brand collaborators now includes Apple, Google, Hyundai, IBM, MTV, Samsung, Nike and Chanel. 

These commercial partnerships often spring from the studio’s self-initiated work and are marked by their longevity and the creative latitude Universal Everything is given. ‘We’ve never felt like we’ve had to compromise in any of the collaborations,’ Pyke says. ‘It’s always been like they were supporting the studio and it’s been very genuine and authentic.’

The studio has also worked with bands including Radiohead, Coldplay and Primal Scream and created digital pieces for exhibitions at MoMA, The Barbican, London’s Science Museum and more. And despite the constant technical innovation, Pyke’s particular take on generative design is so defined, there’s little clear distinction between commercial and non-commercial work. ‘It’s just another expression of working with different contexts, audiences and forms,’ Pyke says.

What comes out in all the studio’s works, though, is a clear sense of play, in their creation and in the way they are experienced. ‘I think playfulness is important,’ says Pyke. ‘You get a brand-new piece of technology and it’s really just a matter of playing with it and seeing what comes out.’ And play, he says, should definitely be part of the viewing experience. ‘I don't really like art shows where it’s whispering in a white cube space, I'd much rather people were shouting and running about.’

Despite that emphasis on play, Pyke and his team aren’t rushing to make every piece interactive. Only two pieces in ‘Lifeforms’ are interactive, and he says they are only interactive for good reason. One of those pieces is Into the Sun, one of three new works in the show. ‘We wanted to create a collective experience,’ Pyke says. ‘The screen displays the sun and plants and they grow in response to the viewer’s positions and movement. And it works with up to four people so you get this collective experience, you create this kind of plant choreography.’

Pyke is more interested in getting ‘beyond the loop’, creating pieces where nothing is ever repeated, ‘like an improvisational jazz gig’. Another new piece, Maison Autonome, Pyke describes as an ‘automated design system’.

‘It's framed as a kind of catwalk show with motion-captured models walking up and down the runway but the costumes or clothing that they wear is generative, infinite combinations of forms and materials. It's so random that you get these enormous models with incredible inflated clothes or spider thin and chrome. It asks who the designer is because they're not designed by anybody apart from the code, really.’

Like much of the studio’s work, Maison Autonome is a dizzying, mesmerising endless parade that taps into Pyke’s essential optimism about human possibility. ‘There’s just that curiosity about what will emerge next out of that kind of unknown randomness.’ 

Universal Everything, ’Lifeforms’ is at 180 The Strand from 12 October- 18 December 2022.

universaleverything.com

180thestrand.com

Frieze London 2025 is back, ready to showcase works from over 130 of the most significant galleries from around the world. With an array of exhibitions, installations and shows on offer, it is quite easy to work up an appetite while walking around its base in Regent’s Park or one of the satellite events around the city.

With so much to see, finding time to pick a delicious restaurant en route, or post fair, can often make or break a day. To take away the stress of choosing, we have put together a guide of the best places to grab a bite after a day at the fair, and help get your fill on art and food. Looking for art-filled restaurants? We have those too.

Where to eat during Frieze London

La Maison Ani

The Carlton Tower, 1 Cadogan Pl, London SW1X 9PY

For a French Frieze escape, La Maison Ani in Knightsbridge delivers contemporary cuisine. The menu which is spearheaded by chef Izu Ani, varies from grilled langoustines garnished in a zesty chili sauce to a hearty wagyu beef burger with Emmental cheese, tartar and barbecue sauce, and of course for the Francophiles escargots is also on the menu.

lamaisonanilondon.com

Cinder St John’s Wood

5 St John's Wood High St, London NW8 7NG

If you fancy escaping the bustle of Frieze, Cinder in St John’s Wood just west of Regent’s Park, will be a comforting choice. The food at Cinder is centred around the charcoal grill with influences drawn from the Mediterranean. What sets this place apart are the dishes made with British produce, including ingredients from its very own kitchen located on the rooftop of the restaurant.

cinderrestaurant.co.uk

Trullo

300-302 St Paul's Rd, London N1 2LH
Or
Frieze London, The Regent's Park (Park Square West Entrance)London NW1 4NR

Marking its Frieze debut, the Highbury Italian restaurant Trullo will be at the art fair. The menu will be adapted for the occasion, with a selection of antipasti such as Salcombe Bay scallops with garlic and pangrattato to the Zucchini fritti with dried chilli and millefiori honey. Of course, make way for hearty pasta dishes such as the pappardelle with beef shin ragu and the tagliarini with picked Dorset crab, Amalfi lemon and chilli.

trullorestaurant.com

Dante at Claridge’s

Brook St, London W1K 4HR

Get a slice of Manhattan at Dante, the New York restaurant extending its summer residency at Claridge’s. The renowned hotel and restaurant is adored for its art deco flair. Coupled with Dante’s cocktails and a nostalgic New York inspired menu, this is a fun spot to enjoy a late-night mini martini after a day browsing at the art fair.

claridges.co.uk

The Birley Clubs

Annabel's is located at 6 Berkeley Square, London W1J 5AT
George is located at 88-89 Mount St, London W1K 2SU
Mark's Club is located at 46 Charles St, London W1J 5EJ

Birley Club members can enjoy a selection of art chosen specifically for the occasion, At George, peruse the works of Chris Levine, who is known for his light portraits and immersive installations - including his iconic images of Queen Elizabeth II. Levine will also be hosting an intimate in-conversation event with curator and art advisor Katy Richfield, to discuss his practice and the intersection of light, perception, and art. At Annabel's, Daniel Arsham’s sculptures and works on paper are adorned in his signature “fictional archaeology” style. While at Mark’s Club, enjoy an exhibition with Richard Green, featuring six modern masterpieces tracing the evolution from Impressionism to Fauvism.

annabels.co.uk , georgeclub.com, marksclub.co.uk

Ham Yard

1 Ham Yard, London W1D 7DT
Or
Frieze London, The Regent's Park London NW1 4NR

For its fourth year Ham Yard is back under the Frieze Masters tent delivering its bold European cuisine and cocktails. The menu has been adapted to the season, celebrating late harvest dishes including devilled eggs with black truffle, to roasted pumpkin and sprouting broccoli salad. Or perhaps tuck into handmade potato gnocchi with girolles and sheep’s cheese. For drinks, discover Ham Yard’s latest cocktail menu titled Liquid Art. The drinks are a playful take on the hotel’s art collection, featuring the likes of Sir Tony Cragg, Eileen Cooper and Howard Hodgkin, into nine creative cocktails.

firmdalehotels.com

Rita’s

9 Lexington St, Carnaby, London W1F 9AP
Or
Frieze London, The Regent's Park London NW1 4NR

The New York- inspired Soho restaurant returns to Frieze for its seventh year. The pop-up will offer a grab-and-go menu, carefully designed for busy fair-goers. Expect a choice of tacos including slow-roast heritage pork with pumpkin seed macha to chipotle-braised chicken with spicy mayo, along with subs and a cocktail list.

ritasdining.com

Mount St. Restaurant

The Audley Public House First Floor, 41-43 Mount St, London W1K 2RX

Get your fill of art and food at Mount St. Restaurant. Located in Mayfair, the interior is filled with site-specific art interventions created by Hauser & Wirth’s roster of globally celebrated artists. Other design elements are found from the table lamps and dining chairs to cabinets and chandeliers. An ideal sport for a quick pre-fair lunch the London-inspired dishes include

Grouse with smoked bacon and black pudding pie to a wild mushroom tart with caramelised onion and cheddar cream. Finish off the meal with pear and almond tart with vanilla ice cream.

mountstrestaurant.com

Toklas

1 Surrey St, Temple, London WC2R 2ND

Frieze wouldn’t be Frieze without the mention of Toklas. Located in 180 The Strand, the restaurant,and bar, founded by Frieze co-founders Amanda Sharp and Matthew Slotover brings creativity to forefront, on and off the plate. The menu is fresh and Mediterranean, and changes weekly. If you don’t have time for a sit down meal, pop into Toklas Bakery next door for delicious pastries, coffee and fresh bread.

toklaslondon.com

Jikoni

19-21 Blandford St, London W1U 3DH
Or
Frieze London, The Regent's Park (Park Square West Entrance)London NW1 4NR

Jikoni is celebrating its fourth year at Frieze. The restaurant offers a British, African and Middle Eastern fusion which always has an inspired take on vegetables, with most ingredients sourced from their biodynamic farm partner, Waltham Place. This year’s menu highlights include, Lions Mane and oyster mushroom nuggets with curry leaf mayo, a crispy kale chaat with yogurt, date and tamarind chutney, and a hot and sour sweetcorn risotto. And of course, it wouldn’t be Jikoni dining without the ultimate crowd pleaser, Sichuan caramel aubergine with sticky garlic rice, which tastes so good you may have to order it twice.

jikonilondon.com

Nobu London Portman Square

22 Portman Square, London W1H 7BG

Nobu’s Marylebone outpost is a stone's throw away from the hub of Frieze. The hotel will not only offer its decadent sushi dining, but also serve up a limited-edition Frieze Afternoon Tea. If you can’t pull yourself away from the array of art on show at the fair, enjoy the essence of Nobu at the pop-up dining experience at the Frieze fair. Tuck into Nobu's iconic dishes such as black cod miso to yellowtail sashimi jalapeño, and tempura eel- a culinary experience merges art and gastronomy in perfect harmony.

nobuhotels.com

Sessions Arts Club

Frieze London at The Regent's Park London NW1 4NR
Or
4th Floor, Farringdon, 24 Clerkenwell Grn, London EC1R 0NA

Sessions Arts Club pop-up restaurant during the fair features a seasonal menu reflecting that of its main restaurant. Either enjoy dining that is catered for a swift mid-fair bite to longer, drawn out lunches. Options include Carlingford oysters,fennel salami, Jerusalem artichoke risotto, and goat’s curd with rainbow chard. As with last year’s pop-up, visitors can expect a range of collaborative items in partnership with brands such as Tekla, Drakes London and Completedworks.

sessionsartsclub.com

Fonda

12 Heddon St, London W1B 4BZ

Fonda, the Mexican restaurant, founded by Santiago Lastra, is located just behind the Royal Academy of Arts. Alongside a delicious menu it also constantly changes collections of artwork from up-and-coming Mexican artists. Lastra encourages gallerists, designers, tastemakers and food-lovers alike to enjoy his interpretation of a fonda- family-owned fresh-food counters found in markets around Mexico City-and dishes up food inspired by home cooking which has been passed down through generations.

fondalondon.com

abc kitchens

Old Barrack Yard, London SW1X 7NP

Located inside the The Emory, overlooking Hyde Park, abc kitchens offers a dining area which feels fresh and familiar. The interiors were designed by Rémi Tessier and inspired by the architecture of the building, while artworks by Damien Hirst also decorate the space. Whether it be a quick breakfast before the art fair begins, or a light lunch refresh, the menu varies from succulent shellfish to pork confit tacos and tuna tartare.

the-emory.co.uk

Maison François

34 Duke Street St James's, London SW1Y 6DF

In the heart of St James’s, Maison François is the perfect spot to enjoy a different form of art- the art of cooking. Guests can watch the chefs work around the floating pass in the open kitchen, where they recreate classic French cuisine. The brasserie and wine bar is open from morning through to midnight, offering a range of fresh breads and patisseries from its in-house bakery, and a menu focused on seasonality and simplicity.

maisonfrancois.london

Fischer’s

50 Marylebone High St, London W1U 5HN

Is there any better way to finish off a day at Frieze (or any day for that matter) than with a glass of wine and the best schnitzel in London? The like-minded should book a table at Fischer's next week. The beloved Austrian restaurant from the Corbin & King group is an ideal setting for a relaxed and reliably delicious meal only a few minutes walk from the Frieze hub in Regent’s Park.

fischers.co.uk

Writer Mary Cleary

Scott’s

20 Mount St, London W1K 2HE

Originally opened as an oyster warehouse in 1851, Scott’s has evolved into one of the most glamorous restaurants in London. Boasting an illustrious clientele (and as the rumoured origin of James Bond’s ’shaken not stirred’ martini) Scott’s is the place to go if your seeking an opulent finish to your day.

Enjoy oysters and champagne at the famous Champagne bar, or cap off your art-packed day in the most decadent way possible with a booking at The Platinum Arowana Room private dining room, where you can dine on golden pearl caviar and lobster soufflé, surrounded by Renoir, Miró and Chagall paintings.

scotts-restaurant.com

Writer Mary Cleary

Claridge's The Painter’s Room

Brook St, London W1K 4HR

Claridge’s The Painter’s Room is an Art Deco style bar serves cocktails inspired European art and culture, including the ‘Saint Remy’ – a variation on a martini inspired by Van Gogh’s Almond Blossom painting. Food comprises of small plates, among them bar classics such as crispy scampi and updated delicacies like beetroot tartar, all served by a bar team dressed in ‘bleu de travail’ blue worker jackets inspired by the signature outfit of American fashion photographer Bill Cunningham.

The calming pink interiors and art filled walls makes it an ideal place to unwind after a busy day at the fair.

claridges.co.uk

Writer Mary Cleary

The Connaught's Red Room 

The Connaught, Carlos Pl, London W1K 2AL

Wind down after a day of art-fair hustling with a glass of wine at The Connaught’s Red Room. The newly opened space is a showcase for the iconic hotel’s unparalleled wine collection, which features 30,000 bottles, many of which can be enjoyed by the glass thanks to the revolutionary Coravin system that makes it possible to pour wine without removing the cork.

Enjoy your glass of fine wine alongside the Red Room’s equally impressive art collection. The red-hued artworks that have given the space its name include original works by four female visionaries: Jenny Holzer, Louise Bourgeois, Trina McKillen, and the young Vietnamese artist, Tia-Thuy Nguyen.

the-connaught.co.uk

Writer Mary Cleary

The Wallace Collection

Hertford House, Manchester Square, London W1U 3BN

Take a break from the contemporary wonders of Frieze with a look back at the Old Masters at The Wallace Collection. Located near the Frieze hub in Regent’s Park, the former residence of the Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace is home to both an expansive collection of 18th- and 19th-century art and an excellent lunchtime cafe.

The bright glazed courtyard is a good pit stop for a healthy salad or afternoon tea. Or, better yet, start the day there with the new brunch menu inspired by the forgotten masters of the East India Company. Tempting offerings include paratha scrambled eggs with chilli, ginger and toasted sesame seeds; and white peach and jasmine gin and tonics.

wallacecollection.org

Writer Mary Cleary

Scarfes Bar

Rosewood London, 252 High Holborn, London WC1V 7EN

‘A place where paintings and potions meet’ is the tagline for Scarfes Bar at the Rosewood London, and its true that the glitzy Covent Garden lounge boasts some of the most creative cocktails and creative interiors in town.

The bar is named after British artist Gerald Scarfe, and playful caricatures of historical and fictional figures adorn the walls. The theme is carried into the cocktail menu, which features the Amy Winehouse-inspired ‘Rickstasy’ cocktail (a blend of Remy Martin 1738, Old Duff, sea buckthorn, and lavender) and the Princess Diana-themed ‘Spencer Bevvy’ (a sophisticated mix of Havana Club Seleccion de Maestros, fig, and chestnut mango).

scarfesbar.com

Writer Mary Cleary

Frieze’s inaugural edition in Asia, Frieze Seoul opened on 2 September amid heated enthusiasm in South Korea’s capital. 

A 30-minute queue stretched along the walls of the entrance to the VIP opening, akin to the throngs of eager fans awaiting a BTS concert. 

That was the level of enthusiasm felt at this international art fair held in Korea for the first time – a monumental event not just for Seoul, but South Korea and Asia. Frieze Seoul is the art organisation’s fourth global location and first Asia venture, joining the Los Angeles, New York and London editions on the international art world calendar and is held alongside KIAF, operated by the Galleries Association of Korea.

‘Seoul is a dynamic place with a sophisticated and inquisitive collector base and art world infrastructure,’ said Patrick Lee, director of Frieze Seoul. ‘The country boasts incredibly talented artists, world-class museums, corporate collections, non-profits, biennales and galleries which make it an ideal location for an art fair.’

More than 110 of the world’s leading galleries from across 21 countries are participating in Frieze Seoul for the four-day event which will come to a close on Monday. 

Among participating galleries, around 30 per cent are Asian and 15 are new to the fair, according to Lee. ‘I'm so excited about the qualities of the galleries’ work. They showcase the region at its best. I hope this is a platform to meet a new audience,’ he said. 

For Rachel Lehmann of Lehmann Maupin, it was an emotional experience. ‘It's the first time after Covid that I’m meeting people from other parts of Asia so it's very uplifting and we're all emotional.’ 

‘I always say wait for the second day to judge a fair, which is what you should do, but the reason why I say it's an excellent fair is that the level of curiosity of business, new collectors and questions and interests from museums are just overwhelming,’ she said. ‘Usually, I might be biting my tongue tomorrow, but I don't think so,’ she added when asked about the gallery’s sales. In fact, multiple gallerists from around the world testified that the first-day figures were already impressive.

As gallerist Thaddaeus Ropac explained, ‘I think what is astonishing about Korea is you have a younger generation of collectors here than in Europe or the U.S. They are so eager to learn about art and live with art which I haven’t seen so much. They want to know, they follow things, they go to exhibitions. I'm impressed I have to say.’ 

Ropac was especially impressed by K-Pop icon and BTS leader RM who visited his booth earlier in the day. ‘I'm really amazed how educated and how much RM knows about art,’ he says. ‘K-pop artists themselves are so interested in contemporary art and I think this created a generation of new people interested in art and collecting. I'm astounded by this.’ 

It wasn’t just Frieze Seoul that saw astonishing sales figures, Frieze Masters also fared astoundingly well. Jorn Gunther Rare Books from Switzerland, displaying antique publications dating back to the Medieval Ages, already sold two books in the five-digit figures in US dollars on the first day, which owner Jorn Gunther says, is something to celebrate with wine. ‘We've never exhibited in Asia. We're bringing this material to Korea for the first time but you can see how crowded we are. It’s amazing how young people are interested,’ he says. 

To Gunther’s surprise, the crowd in Korea is younger – mostly in their thirties – than the crowd they usually have at fairs – mostly in their sixties. ‘They’re younger, but they have the money. That's quite interesting and something completely new,’ Gunther explained.

This is the first time Frieze Masters is held side by side in the same space with contemporary Frieze which could explain why Frieze Masters is seeing a much younger audience. ‘This is the first fair in Asia and the first time we’re bringing Frieze Masters out of London,’ explained Nathan Clements-Gillespie, director of Frieze Masters. ‘Every time I visit Korea, I’m always struck at how sophisticated and thoughtful the collectors and audience are. Collectors are very well-researched. They studied, they know what they're interested in, and yet always keep an open mind.’

The neighbourhood of Samcheong-dong, which has a slew of internationally renowned galleries along its main street, was brightly lit until late on Friday with galleries holding exhibitions, parties, and talks. While Art Sonje held a talk event with renowned art curator and critic Hans Ulrich Obrist, Gallery Hyundai was packed with art insiders partying in the courtyard. Late-night openings took place in two of the most important gallery districts – Thursday in Hannam-dong, a cosmopolitan neighbourhood just above the river, and on Friday in Samcheong-dong, a relatively traditional neighbourhood in the north. 

Other side events during the Frieze period include Frieze Film which features the work of ten local and diasporic Korean artists in two locations near Gyeongbokgung Palace – Together Together and Magjib. A joint talks program is also expected to take place over the weekend in association with KIAF Seoul at COEX.

INFORMATION

Frieze Seoul runs until 5 September at COEX, Seoul. frieze.com

Seoul’s summer monsoon season brings with it a biblical rain that doesn’t shower but saturates. Each time the rain clears, a new Seoul is born; umbrellas become parasols and the muted urban vista makes way for a vibrant, old-meets-new vernacular, accentuated by a lush, mountainous backdrop.

In recent years, Seoul has undergone another sort of rebirth. After the international phenomena of K-pop, K-beauty, K-style and K-cinema, it now seems to be the moment for K-art, thanks to the rise of local players and the arrival of international cultural titans. Our arts editor, Harriet Lloyd-Smith, explores how, with new museums and galleries, bustling bars and restaurants, all eyes are on the South Korean capital. 

Postcard from Seoul: 8 arts and culture must-sees 

International galleries 

Joining acclaimed native galleries such as Hyundai and Kukje, a new wave of global blue-chips – including Thaddaeus Ropac, Lehmann Maupin and König – have flocked to Seoul for a piece of the action. Ahead of Frieze Seoul 2022, two major players announced ambitious extensions. Pace Gallery will expand its multi-level arts complex with a new outdoor sculpture courtyard, while Perrotin will open a new space in the upmarket retail neighbourhood of Gangnam, joining its original outpost in the historic art district of Jongno. 

Frieze Seoul

The inaugural edition of Frieze Seoul in 2022 marked a major moment for Asia’s art scene. Held at Coex and led by director Patrick Lee, Frieze’s fourth global location, and its first in Asia, welcomed more than 110 galleries and featured a special section, Focus Asia. The much-anticipated addition to the art world calendar took place alongside KIAF (the Korea International Art Fair), placing Korean art firmly on the international stage. Frieze Seoul 2023 is set to take place 6 – 9 September.

Seoul Museum of Craft Art

The Seoul Museum of Craft Art opened in 2021 as the first institution of its kind in South Korea. Shows in 2022 included ’Craft, Moving Beyond Time and Boundaries’, exploring how age-old traditions can collide with contemporary experimental approaches. Korean craft also took the spotlight at the 2022 Loewe Foundation Craft Prize, exhibited at the museum in July, where seven of the 30 international finalists hailed from South Korea, including this year’s winner, horsehair weaver Dahye Jeong. 

Sanchon

All this cultural consumption demands sustenance, and a culinary gem lurking in a backstreet nook of the Insadong district promises to awaken tastebuds you didn’t know you had. Sanchon is an acclaimed vegan temple food restaurant established by a former Buddhist monk. The soul- and body-cleansing a la carte menu offers distinctive dishes involving kimchi, tofu, seaweed, japchae glass noodles and lotus fruit – the latter a punchy experience for the unseasoned palate. The food is accompanied by live piano music, live birds chirping, bounteous live greenery and an adjacent art gallery.  

Design Museum at Dongdaemun Design Plaza

The new Design Museum at the Zaha Hadid Architects-designed Dongdaemun Design Plaza was inaugurated in 2022 by the exhibition ’Meta-Horizons: The Future Now’, exploring ZHA’s work across digital technology, artificial intelligence, virtual reality and sustainable strategies. Created in collaboration with artist Refik Anadol (who created the Seoul Light: Seoul Haemong multimedia public installation at DDP in 2019), the show was a multidisciplinary collision of virtual and physical worlds. 

281 Eulji-ro, Euljiro 7(chil)-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul
museeum.com/museum/dongdaemun-design-plaza/
zaha-hadid.com

Wellness K at Kukje Gallery

With its unique union of world-class art, wellness, food and design, Kukje is part art gallery, part state-of-the-art lifestyle hub. Within the multi-use art complex’s K1 building (which secured a Wallpaper* Design Award in 2021) is Wellness K, an inventive fusion of fitness, mindfulness and aesthetics. Within a space designed by Teo Yang studio, the wellness centre offers members personalised programmes including strength and core training, yoga, dance, and meditation. What’s more invigorating than lifting weights within feet of a Julian Opie? 

54 Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
kukjegallery.com

Oul at the Four Seasons Seoul 

Cocktail hour at the Four Seasons Seoul has long been headlined by the ‘secret’ subterranean speakeasy that is Charles H. But above ground, the newly-opened Oul is shaking things up. The late-night bar concept, tailored to the Korean ‘Generation MZ’ (encompassing Millennials and Gen Z), offers contemporary takes on a long history of Korean liquor crafting and fermentation, such as a reimagined Gyeongseong-era sujeonggwa cinnamon punch, and a Kimchi Highball with a twist of green chilli soju. With its dynamic Obangsaek colour palette and neon signage, Oul is a new mixology hotspot for experimentally-minded night owls. 

97 Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
fourseasons.com

SongEun Art & Cultural Foundation

Seoul has long been a hub for projects by internationally acclaimed architects, from Mario Botta, Jean Nouvel and Rem Koolhaas (who each designed a wing of Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art) to Dominique Perrault, whose Ewha Womans University blends seamlessly into its hillside landscape. In late 2021, Swiss firm Herzog & de Meuron made their South Korean debut with the SongEun Art & Cultural Foundation, an angular, monolithic 11-storey structure in the high-end Gangnam district. The building – which houses a non-profit cultural space championing Korean and international emerging art – has become something of a Seoul landmark, a feat in a city defined by such a dense urban tapestry. 

441 Dosan-daero, Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
songeunartspace.org

INFORMATION

This article appears in the September 2022 Issue of Wallpaper*, available on newsstands now, as well as on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today

After a two year hiatus, Frieze Los Angeles 2022 has returned in sun-drenched splendour. And it's not just the art world that's ecstatic, fashion folks also returned to the City of Angels with a host of events and pop-ups celebrating the luxury, jewellery and art worlds coming together. Here we round up our highlights.

Frieze Los Angeles fashion moments: Prada

Prada returns to Los Angeles with the seventh iteration of Prada Mode, a travelling private club which has popped up in Miami, Paris, London, Moscow, Shanghai and Hong Kong at events celebrating Art Basel and Haute Couture. At Fairfax Avenue's famed Sichuan Chinese restaurant and music venue Genghis Cohen, artist Martin Syms presents the interactive text and video installation ‘HelLA World', which alludes to the casual conversations with strangers, encouraging guests to contribute messages, gossip, status updates and musings. Monitors wrapping the space will project and make public exchanges that are communicated via phone, some spontaneous, some scripted. 

Matchesfashion

In celebration of its longtime partnership with Frieze, Matchesfashion sojourned Stateside, touching down on the West Coast with an exciting schedule of events, hosted at the Howard Frank-designed mid-century Simon House, in the Trousdale Estates area of Beverly Hills. On their remarkable roster? Cocktails with Alexander Mcqueen, a New History Makers luncheon in collaboration with Roberts Projects Gallery and a Vibe Called Tech and a dinner in celebration of L’Objet and Haas Brothers 2.0 collection. 

Alighieri

Alighieri's Rosh Mahtani first met Brazilian painter Samuel de Saboia during Paris Fashion Week, and for Frieze Los Angeles 2022, the two have paired up on ‘Armor of Light, Heart of Clay', an installation focused on paralleling diasporic experience, which features 33 one of a kind wax sculptures – symbolised as fragments of modern armour – displayed in a brushstroke heavy universe of de Saboia's making. The West Hollywood exhibition features a large-scale painting that nods to the London jewellery label's love of prehistoric history and archaeology. A depature from de Saboia's idiosyncratically colourful paintings, the installation also features salient black figures, symols of revelation, guiding viewers through the human experience. 

‘I think everybody has felt rather enclosed recently – whether mentally or physically – and the vessel, as a medium for holding, references that contemporary conversation,’ says Sized Studio founder and creative director Alexander May on the theme of his new show opening this week as Frieze LA kicks off.

‘Vessels’ takes place at Sized Studio’s 7,000 sq ft new home in Hollywood. Over 200 vessels are on display, from artists and makers including Alma Allen, Rick Owens Furniture, Commune Design, Jim McDowell, Pia Camil, Grace Prince, Jonny Ribeiro, Kazunori Hamana, The Future Perfect, Donna Green, and Thomas Barger among many more. ‘It's an exploration of material and form,’ says May. Sized’s inaugural exhibition in June 2021 showcased contemporary design objects and celebrated the power of in-person events.

‘I'm constantly sourcing, so I had a few things in mind, but of course commissions and additions come along the way,' says May. New works made especially for the exhibition include a large vase by Gaetano Pesce created out of stacked and compacted heart shapes, while Leena Similu, who explores femininity and fertility, is showing a new large-scale vessel alongside several existing smaller works. Musician and multidisciplinary designer Fai Khadra has created a site-specific work at Sized Studio. 

There is also a large-scale, site-specific ikebana installation comprising intricate floral work created by Ravi GuneWardena and Tory J Lowitz of the Sogetsu Ikebana Los Angeles branch, the West Coast outpost of the Tokyo-based Sogetsu ikebana school founded by ikebana master Sōfū Teshigahara. 

In the exhibition, May expands on the concept of a vessel as a multifunctional object – looking beyond vases and planters to a chair, a cabinet, a table – considering them all structures that hold or contain something. In doing so, he draws a parallel with the boundary-bending approach of Teshigahara.

Sogetsu Ikebana Los Angeles has previously collaborated with artists including Isamu Noguchi, Nikki de Saint Phalle, and Merce Cunningham. Teshigahara was known as a radical thinker in ikebana, rejecting the traditions of the centuries-old craft. ‘He was a radical maker – and an enfant terrible – who broke moulds of historical work,’ says May. He opened the Sogetsu school in Tokyo when he was just 27 years old. ‘Sogetsu’s exploration of scale and architecture within space goes hand-in-hand with the vessel’s role in design for promising a broad range of possibilities,’ says May.

Concurrently, the MatchesFashion booth onsite at the new Frieze LA Wilshire Boulevard location is curated by Alexander May and features 12 further vessels by artists and makers including Jim McDowell, LS Gomma and Ben Medansky.

INFORMATION

'Vessels’, 16 – 27 February 2022, at Sized Studio, 526 N Western Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90004

sized.ltd

Back in the dismal depths of 2020, it felt as though art fairs were on the brink of pandemic-induced extinction. The art world, like the rest of the world, turned into a virtual affair; viewing rooms were the status quo, and Zoom screens contained galleries, studios and our sole link to the creative community. 

Could the art world glitterati ever congregate en masse in an indoor tent again? Yes, as Frieze London 2021 is proving. The fair has made a mighty return to the UK capital, armed with a renewed sense of optimism, community spirit, and focus on the most pressing issues of the era. 

As per (new) normal, remnants of masked greetings, time-slotted bookings and elbow bumps remain, but parties are back on the schedule, galleries have decked their booths with world-leading art, and visitors arrive dressed in their head-turning Frieze best. Beyond sartorial requirements is this year’s must-have accessory: a grey fabric wristband offered in exchange for proof of Covid-19 vaccination or a negative test result. 

Now Frieze has, at last, emerged from hibernation, it feels as though spring has sprung on the art world, albeit a few months behind schedule.

High tech meets high art

Perhaps it’s a post-pandemic craving for something to saturate the senses when reality becomes too much, but ‘immersive art’ seems to be dominating this year’s Frieze Week, from LUX at 180 The Strand, to AA Murakami at Superblue’s new space, and Anicka Yi’s scent and science-infused Hyundai Commission at Tate Modern. 

Inside the fair, La Prairie’s debut offering at Frieze London is another multisensory feat. Sense of Blue plunges viewers into the depths of blue-hued nighttime. The piece is by French digital artist Maotik, who harnesses computer-generated algorithms to form reality-shifting environments.

The LG Space at Frieze London 2021 is breathing new digital life into Damien Hirst’s greatest hits. The artist's major historical works have been placed alongside self-lit digital ‘remasters’ and NFTs, presented on the brand's most advanced OLED TV products, including the rollable OLED TV R. 

Elsewhere, the fourth edition of the BMW Open Work spotlights New York-based Madeline Hollander. The artist says of her commission: ‘Sunrise/Sunset presents an immersive networked spectacle choreographed by sunsets and sunrises across the globe in real-time. The piece, composed of hundreds of recycled BMW headlights, transforms an automatic adaptive system already embedded within vehicles – where headlights turn on/off and adjust in response to light sensors – into a live twinkling global map.’ 

‘Undoing the world as we know it’ 

Race, identity and the legacies of colonialism: these are subjects the world must no longer ignore, and also form the focus of the curated section at Frieze London 2021. Exploring ideas of apocalypse and regeneration, undoing and reconstruction, ‘Unworlding’, overseen by Cédric Fauq (chief curator at CAPC Musée d’Art Contemporain de Bordeaux) features a selection of international artists whose practices are centred around the idea of the ‘undoing of the world as we know it’, including Ndayé Kouagou, Esteban Jefferson, Nora Turato, and Natacha Donzé.

Elsewhere at the fair, non-profit membership organisation the Gallery Climate Coalition is demonstrating how the commercial art world contributes to the climate crisis, but could also provide a platform for meaningful change. Sharing its tools, resources and best practice guidelines, it aims to help cut the art sector’s CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) emissions by at least 50 per cent by 2030 (in line with the Paris Agreement).

‘Artists for ClientEarth’ is a landmark new collaborative initiative – organised by the GCC, Christie’s, and environmental charity ClientEarth – designed to arm the art world in the fight against climate change. Works by the likes of Cecily Brown, Antony Gormley and Rashid Johnson will be auctioned in Christie’s over the next year to raise funds to support ClientEarth, donated by the artists and their galleries – Hauser & Wirth, Thomas Dane Gallery, and White Cube. 

The Cork Street congregation 

Despite the in-fair excitement, this year’s Frieze continues to think outside the tent. In 2020, devoted art lovers flocked to Cork Street in Mayfair – London’s art hub while the fair lay dormant – where blue-chip galleries opened new, temporary exhibition spaces. 

This year, Lisson Gallery reopened its space with Marina Abramović’s ethereal series of alabaster sculptures for her two-part show ‘Seven Deaths’, which reflects on the talents and tragic life of singer Maria Callas. 

At No.9 Cork Street, Frieze opens its first permanent space with work by Christopher Myers (presented by James Cohan), Danielle Dean, Nikita Gale, P Staff, and EJ Hill (Commonwealth and Council), and mother-daughter artists Elisabeth Wild and Vivian Suter (Proyectos Ultravioleta). 

Frieze Sculpture 

Alongside Frieze London and Frieze Masters, Regent’s Park is also playing host to Frieze Sculpture. This year’s al fresco offerings explore themes including architecture, displacement, geopolitical power structures, environmental concerns and endangered futures. 

Participants are international and intergenerational, including Rasheed Araeen, Daniel Arsham, Anthony Caro, Gisela Colón, José Pedro Croft, Carlos Cruz-Diez, Stoyan Dechev, Ibrahim El-Salahi, Divya Mehra, Annie Morris, Isamu Noguchi, Jorge Otero-Pailos, Solange Pessoa, Vanessa da Silva, Tatiana Wolska, Rose Wylie and Yunizar. 

‘Each Frieze Sculpture installation brings such a different picture of sculptural practice and it’s heartening that this year is especially global, including artists who herald from South America, South and North Africa, Indonesia, Pakistan, the USA and Canada, and from across Europe, says Clare Lilley, director of programme at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, who is curating Frieze Sculpture for the ninth year. ‘Although the artists span three generations, I see exciting sculptural conversations across time and geography, and while many sculptures here relate to social and environmental concerns, there is much-heightened colour and dextrous handling of material, resulting in an overall sense that is celebratory.’ 

INFORMATION

Frieze London 2021, 13 Oct 2021 – 17 Oct 2021, The Regent’s Park, London. frieze.com

The cavernous spaces inside the brutalist building 180 The Strand, now known as 180 Studios, have been animated with monumental, loud and flashy (often literally) experimental works in recent years, from Ryoji Ikeda’s test pattern right back to the unforgettable debut group show, ‘The Infinite Mix’. Devoted to new media art, the latest show to inhabit the central London site is no less ambitious or absorbing – but its subtlety might take viewers by surprise.

So says Dr Jiyoon Lee, curator of ‘LUX: New Wave of Contemporary Art’, an exhibition of 13 new media art pieces by 12 artists and collectives working in radical ways – the likes of Random International, the collaborative group behind Rain Room, and the godmother of new media art Hito Steyerl are among the line-up. The works, including several new, never-seen-before commissions, make pioneering use of tech not commonly found in ruminative works of art: 3D projection mapping, neural networks, quantum computing, open-source VFX software, and algorithmic visualisation.

‘There is a big, and very important, movement at the moment towards experiential and immersive art, including teamLab, Superblue or the Arte Museum in Korea,’ Lee says. She is the director of SUUM Project, a curatorial platform for promoting innovative contemporary art practices, and spearheads the LG OLED Art: Self-Lit Gallery exhibition series. ‘There is an element of this in “LUX”, but, more importantly, we wanted to give a broad and global representation of how artists are currently working with all kinds of technology as part of their practice, in a way that has not been done before.’

Many of the works directly take on the show’s title – LUX being Latin for ‘light’. Es Devlin’s work, BLUESKYWHITE (commissioned by 180 Studios) transports the spectator-participant back to the 19th century, to the dimming of the sun that occurred in the aftermath of the eruption of Mount Tambora, Indonesia, in 1815, an event that released more than 100 million tonnes of gas into the atmosphere and cooled the Earth by some 3 degrees Celsius. Devlin has built a 24m-long tunnel that envelops the visitor in an intense red glow, an emotive and ambivalent contemplation of the possibility of replicating the effects of the volcanic eruption that could save the planet from burning but would lead to the death of blue skies. 

As well as exploring light, movement and space through advanced technologies, ‘LUX’ pays homage to the little things we take for granted. The show was conceived partly in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, ‘which has been a time of isolation and metaphorical darkness for so many people’, Lee explains.

One such example is Flower Meadow, by Swiss collective iart, commissioned by LG. Invited to create a work using OLED – wafer-thin, light-emitting panels, usually found in television and phone screens – but used by iart as a sculptural material. Flower Meadow consists of a non-fungible species of flowers that are nourished by AI that will renew and proliferate every day. 

In concert with this is Julianknxx’s 180 Studios-commissioned Black Corporeal (Between This Air), a short film Lee describes as ‘a beautiful, repetitive, and poetic sound piece, exploring the idea that our ability to breathe – an act that is continuously challenged by everything from air pollution, stress, anxiety and societal prejudice – is more than our lungs’ ability to take in air, but a reflection of the way we live individually and together’. Finding epiphany in the everyday, Julianknxx reminds us that everything is connected.

This is felt profoundly in artist a’strict’s multisensory installation Starry Beach: a luminescent space of scintillating waves, reminiscent of a star-studded sky at night. Starry Beach – the title recalling Starry Night, Van Gogh’s masterpiece – reconnects us with an age-old feeling of awe in the face of nature, a theme that has inspired artists for centuries. This is perhaps what makes ‘LUX‘ such a unique proposition: the works may employ the materials of the future, but their enduring subjects are rooted in classical artworks, tracing a trajectory that’s often ignored and suggesting there might be more to new media than holograms and flashing lights.

INFORMATION
‘LUX: New Wave of Contemporary Art’, co-curated by SUUM and Fact, is on view 13 October – 18 December 2021 at 180 The Strand.

180thestrand.com

London's art scene is marking a return to normal-ish service with crowd-pulling but concept-heavy multisensory installations. As the Hyundai Commission by Anicka Yi fills Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall with strange smells and AI-enabled entities, AA Murakami are doing something similar at Superblue’s temporary Piccadilly space.

Silent Fall is an entrancing forest of mechanical trees that release bubbles packed with mist and various foresty scents, inviting interactive fun. Visitors can wander through the installation, popping bubbles as they go, and even cradling them and bouncing them around while wearing special gloves. 

The more design-literate among the audience will recognise the piece as an updated and expanded version of New Spring, the Instagram smash first presented by Studio Swine in collaboration with COS during Milan Design Week in 2017. It was subsequently exhibited in Miami and Shanghai. (Studio Swine founders Alexander Groves and Azusa Murakami have now bisected operations, if only nominally, with Studio Swine handling product and furniture design and AA Murakami taking on the conceptual installations.)

As with Yi’s work, Silent Fall brings together what Groves calls ‘ephemeral technology’ and scent-making – they worked with perfumer Paul Schütze on this installation – to investigate our dysfunctional and destructive relationship with the natural world.

‘We see it as an archival forest in the sense that in the future there might not be real forests but replica forests that store information,’ he says. Walls of mirrors stretch this forest of bone-white techno trees to infinity, while the forest floor is alive with bubbles. ‘We're interested in the primordial origins of life,’ says Groves. ‘Scientists have done primordial soup simulations and discovered that life originated with self-organising fatty bubbles. The first cells were bubbles.’

Groves says that as much as they enjoy developing and employing ephemeral technology, they want to maintain a sense of material engagement. ‘A lot of tech art lacks materiality. It’s all audiovisual and the interface is the same as when you are dealing with emails. We want the interface to be ephemeral, bubbles or smoke-rings, shifting states of matter. And I see the future of technology as much more integrated into our built environment or natural environment.’

Silent Fall is the first UK presentation for Superblue, which is staking a claim as patron and commercial partner of experiential artists. It was co-founded by Mollie Dent-Brocklehurst, who set up the London outpost of Pace Gallery, and Marc Glimcher, Pace's president and CEO, and began life as a PaceX, a Pace Gallery side project (many of Superblue's artists are also represented by Pace, which will continue to handle sales of physical works, and Superblue has temporarily taken over the old premises of Pace Gallery, following the latter’s move to a Jamie Fobert-designed space on Hanover Square).

Now a separate business, and backed by Laurene Powell Jobs’ Emerson Collective and Therme Group’s Therme Art initiative, it already claims a compelling cluster of artists including James Turrell, Random International, Nick Cave, Es Devlin, Drift, Jakob Kudsk Steensen and teamLab as well as AA Murakami.

‘We became fascinated with these artists who were making experiences but not being served by the gallery market,’ says Dent-Brocklehurst. 

Superblue opened a permanent 50,000 sq ft space or ‘experiential art centre’ in Miami in May 2021, featuring installations by Turrell and teamLab, and opened an exhibition of multisensory works by Drift at Manhattan's The Shed in late September. Dent-Brocklehurst says Superblue is looking to open other sites in the US and possibly London.

INFORMATION

AA Murakami, Silent Fall, 2021, 12 Oct 2021 – summer 2022, Superblue London, superblue.com