The highly anticipated Frieze New York art fair took place from May 14 to May 17 at Randall’s Island with over 190 international galleries showcasing their best pieces.
Some of the crowd pleasers included more interactive and thought provoking pieces such as Martha Araújo’s Para um corpo nas suas impossibilidades [For a body in its impossibilities], Richard Prince’s Instagram gallery, and the numerous mirrored pieces that resulted in many selfies. Araújo’s interactive work was a skateboard quarter pipe covered in Velcro, where the audience was encouraged to put on a Velcro suit and throw their body onto the pipe, with their figure adhering to the Velcro pipe in odd positions. Instead of creating an interactive experience, Prince’s inkjet-printed Instagram introspective images invite users to debate his social commentary.
What drew us into a variety of booths were pieces that leveraged materials and resources in new ways. Personal favorites included Guillame Leblon‘s The innocent’s coat, a striking maroon chrome sculpture from Jocelyn Wolff’s gallery that proves something’s absence can have a more powerful impact. Moreover, the metal appeared to drape as a silky fabric, juxtaposing with the aluminum material and creating further intrigue. Another metal piece included Jeppe Hein’s Mirror Balloon III (Olive Green) from Nicolai Wallner which challenged viewers to think about the impossible, like metal floating balloons.
We were also charmed by Dan McCarthy’s animated ceramic pieces Facepots at Anton Kern Gallery. As all ceramics pieces are distinctive due to their handmade nature, each pot seemed unique with its own personality. The pots also struck a chord of irony with each smiling face proving quite fragile.
