‘We’ve been working really hard to keep the fair as imaginative, as innovative and as exciting as ever,’ shares Eva Langret, Frieze London’s new artistic director. With 4,000+ artworks on offer, Frieze Talks on Zoom by household names like Takashi Murakami, and limited-edition face masks designed by London-based artist Idris Khan, it’s clear Langret has indeed been undeterred by the limitations of today’s ‘new normal.’
To help you navigate this year's unorthodox hybrid programme, we've selected some of the most highly-anticipated online and in-person events attracting the beau monde.
Colnaghi, Mayfair
For the consummate art connoisseur, the Frieze Week programme at Colnaghi is unparalleled. The epitome of refinement, Colnaghi, previously owned by Lord Rothschild, is one of London’s oldest and most celebrated galleries, with its clientele including famous collectors like Henry Clay Frick of The Frick Collection, New York City.
True to form, Colnaghi’s Frieze showing Dreamsongs: from Medicine to Demons to Artificial Intelligence, which runs from 6 –23 October, is a spectacular group exhibition curated by the inimitable Bjorn Stern. ‘We are delighted to be working with Bjorn on this show,’ says Colnaghi CEO Jorge Coll. ‘His drawing together of works from different periods of art history uncovers the ways artists have interpreted the dream in an insightful and thought-provoking way.’
Devoted to exploring how dreams have been depicted in art, from Antiquity to the present day, the exhibition boasts several museum-quality works, with pieces by Salvador Dali, Albrecht Durer, William Blake, and Dorothea Tanning all expected to draw the attention of major collectors. Accessible via the innovative online Frieze Viewing Room and by scheduled appointments, this breathtaking exhibition is a must-see Frieze highlight.
Contact: contact@colnaghi.com
Artvisor, Mayfair
For the chicest in-person experience, little can compete with the serene ambience created by leading art advisory firm Artvisor for their exhibition Polaroids/Composites, showcasing the delicate photographic works of coveted British-Iranian photographer Cyrus Mahboubian.
With his visceral polaroids collected by members of the Royal Family and a critically-acclaimed photobook launched last year at Sotheby’s, the glitterati are waiting with bated breath for what will be Mahboubian’s first major London solo show. ‘This will be a more intimate exhibition than most,’ shares Nico Epstein, one of the partners of Artvisor. ‘To enhance these painstakingly crafted works, we’ve averted the stark set-up of many contemporary galleries and situated them in an elegant, domestic context.’
Running from 9 October to 1 November by appointment only, photography aficionados can immerse themselves in Mahboubian’s black and white dreamscapes whilst basking in the tranquillity of the classically designed space.
Contact: office@artvisor.com
Tristan Hoare, Fitzroy Square
Beloved by the social set, the ever-sublime Tristan Hoare, eponymously named after its charismatic owner (son of famed art dealer and former love interest of Diana, Princess of Wales, Oliver Hoare), is embracing the fair's hybrid ethos by joining forces with Lyndsey Ingram for the virtual presentation of Frieze Masters.
From 8–16 October, the duo will present prized works by Korean ceramicist Kim Yikyung and American postwar artist Ellsworth Kelly via the Frieze Viewing Room. A spectacular exhibition to be enjoyed with a glass of Champagne from the comfort of your home.
By appointment only, devotees can also peruse Hoare’s equally enthralling satellite exhibition Equinox, which features new sculptures and paintings by Italian artist Alessandro Twombly. ‘People are keen to get out and see exhibitions after a long absence,’ notes Hoare. ‘As there are fewer distractions, they seem more focused and engaged, which is fantastic.’
Contact: info@tristanhoare.co.uk
Frieze Sculpture, Regent’s Park
One iconic element of the fair that remains in its original form this year is Frieze Sculpture in Regent’s Park, which runs from 5 –18 October. Curated by luminary Clare Lilley (Director of Programme, Yorkshire Sculpture Park), this open-air experience in the park’s English Gardens provides an effortless way to social-distance whilst exploring 12 ambitious works by leading international artists.
A recommended attraction by one of Tatler’s ‘New Movers and Shakers’ It-gallerist Lawrence Van Hagen, mammoth works by Lubaina Himid, Gavin Turk, and Fabio Lattanzi Antinori in particular promise to enliven your day and your Instagram feed.
Register for the online Frieze Viewing Room here.
