Lifestyle
Seeing Things: Frieze Art Fair New York
- Lisson booth with Anish Kapoor wall sculpture and Ai Weiwei standing sculpture.
The contemporary art world was abuzz with anticipation for the inaugural Frieze Art Fair in New York on Randall’s Island, May 4-7. Founded by Amanda Sharp and Matthew Slotover, the publishers of Frieze Magazine, Frieze Art Fair in London has been a successful, cutting-edge franchise since 2003. Their presence in New York tested the viability of another fair in the busy international art fair calendar. Despite the naysayers, it appears they hit a home run.
Tanya Bonakdar's booth with Thomas Scheibitz painting, Charles Long standing sculpture and Olafur Eliasson hanging sculpture.
Frieze took some big gambles. Randall’s Island is a place most New Yorkers have never been and grumbled about having to visit. It is a strip of land in the East River, located between East Harlem, the South Bronx and Astoria, Queens. Served by ferry, bus and taxi, it turned out to be easily accessible and a delightful ambiance for the fair. The ferry ride was a pleasure and worked to enhance the psychology of adventure consistent with the art experience.
The view from the ferry.
Frieze hired the Brooklyn architecture firm of Solid Objectives-Indeburg Liu (SO-IL) to create the centipede of a tent that housed the 180-plus exhibitors from 30 countries. The word tent belies the sweep and stature of the bespoke structure. It was huge, airy and full of natural light. The layout was thoughtful physically and graphically. Large open spaces offered stunning sight lines for the art. It was one of the most attractive fairs to date.
Frieze interior
Victoria Miro booth with Isaac Julian photograph and Yayoi Kusama sculpture.
The roster of exhibitors was excellent, including top international galleries such as Gagosian, Zwirner, Hauser & Wirth and White Cube.
Two sectors in the fair titled “Focus” and “Frame” were devoted to younger galleries vetted from the US, Europe, China, Japan, Turkey and Russia. Beneath the convivial atmosphere, the gallerists understand the stakes are high. They must create a strong presentation, establish the quality of their brands, make substantial sales, establish new contacts and earn an invitation to subsequent fairs. A significant amount of the art business is now transacted at fairs. Participation has become mandatory, so securing one’s place within the top fairs is a paramount goal for the galleries.
Lehman Maupin booth with Tracey Emin neon and drawings.
In addition to the commercial focus of the fair, there was a strong educational component with talks, panel discussions, guided tours and an outdoor sculpture park. Sustenance was also key. Top food purveyors included Sant Ambroeus, Fat Radish and Intelligentsia Coffee, who seduced all comers with their sumptuous fare and added to the quality experience of the fair.
Stephen Friedman booth with Tonico Lemos Auad hanging sculpture and Jim Hodges work with bed.
The major art fairs create a cultural nexus that functions as a broad call to the global contemporary art community. Satellite fairs spring up around the main fairs; museums and other institutions open their doors for special previews and viewings; galleries arrange important shows and receptions to coincide with the fair. Events take place all over town from morning until late into the evening. The best strategy is to come well rested, wear comfortable shoes, and be prepared for extreme sensory overload. And don’t forget your checkbook!
More info: friezenewyork.com
