Opening on October, 3 with a preview day on October, 2 Frieze London coincides with Frieze Sculpture and Frieze Masters, together forming the most significant week in London’s cultural calendar.
In addition to the world-renowned galleries- such as Marianne Boesky Gallery, The Approach, Gagosian and Victoria Miro- this year’s fair will follow the suit and critical acclaim of last year’s curated section with an exhibition dedicated to textiles, weaving and tapestry. Curated by the executive director of Hong Kong’s non-profit art centre Para Site’s Cosmin Costinas, the gallery-led, themed section, appropriately titled, Woven will feature eight international artists including Monika Correa, Angela Su, Cian Dayrit.
The practice of invited artists is shaped by copious and complex art histories, revealing the many ways in which contemporary practice is entangled with a plurality of traditions. The international artists featured in Woven are of different generations – from Brazil, the Philippines, China, India and Madagascar – and are working with vernacular, indigenous, or underground traditions, employing textiles and weaving, either in a direct way or as an expanded exploration of this fertile medium.
Costinas explained: ‘Together these eight solo presentations will make visible the histories and continuous legacies of the colonial catastrophe, from the economies around textiles to current forms of exploitation and political complicity, as well as point to the various languages available to artistic practice in this critical effort.’
Frieze Masters Continues Its Niche Presence
The eighth edition of Frieze Masters, designed by Annabelle Selldorf architects that previously designed galleries for David Zwirner, Hauser & Wirth and Gladstone among others, will bring together six thousand years of art history, from antiquities to Old Masters and pioneers of the 20th century.
The fair will feature premier galleries of 20th-century art such as long-time participants Acquavella Galleries, Hauser & Wirth, Dickinson, Castelli, Massimo De Carlo; as well as new additions like Galerie Perrotin and Mignoni.Early Modern and Old Master section will include regulars Bacarelli Botticelli, Johnny Van Haeften will be joined by Agnews and Trinity Fine Art both taking part for the first time; while ancient art specialist will include Sycomore Ancient Art, Ariadne Galleries in Chinese art specialists Gisèle Croës – Arts d’Extrême Orient.
The more exciting part of the fair for art lovers will be the Spotlight and Solo sections, featuring solo presentations by ground-breaking artists of the 20th century with highlights of conceptual art trio General Idea (AA Bronson, Felix Partz and Jorge Zontal) that stood in opposition to the idea of the artist as the individual genius and German artist KP Brehmer, who visualised global capitalism through his overly politicized Pop Art in Spotlight. While pioneering video artist Nam June Paik’s (1936-2002) solo presentation with Gallery Hyundai (Seoul), whose major Tate Modern Retrospective due to open in October, 17 and Turner Prize-winning artist Rachel Whiteread’s solo presentation with Luhring Augustine (New York), focused on important early works, both drawings and sculptures will be seen in Solo.
Commitment to International Art Circle
Underlining Frieze’s commitment to international art and its community, director of Frieze Fairs Victoria Siddall stated: ‘This year’s editions of Frieze London and Frieze Masters embody the exceptional international spirit of London, a city that is a meeting point for art, ideas and people from all over the world.” However, this message of unity and the central role of London as the capital of European art will be challenged by fast-approaching Brexit deadline (currently due to happen on October, 31) just a few weeks after the fair. Continuing the tradition of featuring under-represented artists, histories and medium within the international art circles, Frieze London along with its sister event Frieze Masters, put a special emphasis on South East Asia and Latin America by welcoming greater participation from the region including Instituto de Visión (Bogata), Jhaveri Contemporary (Mumbai), Silverlens Galleries (Manila) to its 2019 edition. While Amin Jaffer, curator and writer on art and culture in South Asia, joins Frieze Masters to co-curate the Collections section.
A Public Art Tradition
Opened on 3 July, Frieze Sculpture in London is selected by Clare Lilley, Director of Programme at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, and presented in collaboration with leading galleries around the world. Creating a major public art display at the heart of London, Frieze Sculpture will bring together more than 20 international artists including works by Emily Young, Lars Fisk, Tracey Emin and Jaume Plensa. Presenting new and modern artworks in monumental scale, all placed around the English Gardens of The Regent’s Park.
Both Frieze London and Frieze Masters will be open to the public between October, 3 and October, 6 in Regent’s Park London with free access to Frieze Sculpture.
Eser: Leiko Ikemura, Usagi Kannon II, 2013-2018, Kewenig, Frieze Sculpture 2019
Fotograf: Stephen White. Courtesy of Stephen White/Frieze.
Yazı: Raşit Mutlu
