This week marks a major milestone for Frieze London, open now to the public at Regent’s Park through Sunday, October 15. It is the 20th anniversary of the contemporary art fair that broke the mold for fairs at the time, offering something fresh to the scene back in 2003.
The evolution of Frieze London is reflected in the city’s arts landscape, acting as both a global convening and local platform for galleries and artists alike. Of over 160 galleries participating this year, 28 have been apart of the fair since its very first edition, including Sadie Coles whose booth this year features artists who were all part of their presentation 20 years ago.
At the same time, there are many first-timers to keep an eye out for, as the fair debuts its most international version to date. Whitewall spoke with Eva Langret, Frieze London’s Director, about everything going on this week, including a new section, Artist-to-Artist.
Van Hanos, “Beyeren’s Banquet,” 2023, Oil on linen, 60 x 75 inches; © Van Hanos, courtesy of Lisson Gallery.
Frieze London’s 20th Anniversary Edition
WHITEWALL: This is the 20th anniversary of Frieze. What does this kind of milestone mean for the fair? How did you want to mark the moment with this edition?
EVA LANGRET: Twenty years is such a significant milestone, and the London arts landscape has evolved greatly since the fair began in 2003. We’re proud of the platform Frieze provides for young galleries and artists, helping to make the city’s creative fabric truly vibrant and international. The fair has always been about bringing the wider arts community together, so this year we expanded our program of events to include a film series with the ICA and the Arts Council Collection Acquisitions Fund, which will select one or several early-career artists at Frieze London to become part of the most widely circulated national loan collection of modern and contemporary British art. Ultimately, as we mark this anniversary, we’re looking forward to celebrating 20 years of serving as a global meeting point of art, ideas and people for both London and our community worldwide.
Shaqúelle Whyte, “Shut the door, I’m playing Revolver,” 2023, Oil on canvas, 210 x 210 cm; courtesy of the artist and Pippy Houldsworth Gallery, London.
The Galleries That Have Been There Since the Beginning
WW: With over 160 galleries participating, 28 of which have been at Frieze London for 20 years. Who are some of those spaces that have been there from the beginning?
EL: We are delighted to have a strong contingent of galleries that have shown across all twenty editions of Frieze London, this includes some of London’s defining galleries like Lisson, Sadie Coles HQ, Stephen Friedman, Maureen Paley, and White Cube, alongside major international names such as Gagosian, Hauser & Wirth, and David Zwirner.
WW: Sadie Coles will show work by artists who were in their booth for the first edition of Frieze – could you tell us more about that presentation?
EL: In celebration of the fair’s twentieth anniversary, Sadie Coles HQ is staging a group presentation that mirrors the gallery’s participation in the very first edition in 2003. The exhibition includes works by artists including John Currin and Sarah Lucas, who is the subject of a major retrospective currently at Tate Britain.
Deborah Anzinger, “Untitled Transmutation 02,” 2022, Ground local cookshop charcoal on paper, 25 x 25 inches; courtesy of the artist and Nicola Vassell Gallery.
Galleries Showing at Frieze London for the First Time
WW: On the other side, who are some of the fair first-timers we should keep an eye out for?
EL: We have several first-time participants this year, including several in the fair’s Focus section for young galleries. Making their Frieze debut is Ginny on Frederick, a London-based gallery that opened in 2020 and is a key player amongst a new generation of galleries opening across the city. Harlesden High Street is another to look out for; the BIPOC experimental art space hosts a cultural outreach initiative with the aim to reach audiences less likely to engage with typical gallery programming.
WW: It’s also the most international edition to date. What do you think that says about Frieze’s community? With art from six continents—are we seeing a location represented for the first time?
EL: We are delighted that this year’s edition of the fair is the most international to date, with galleries spanning 40 countries and six continents. Though we aim for our fairs to reflect the cities in which they are located, they are still very much international events. This year alongside a core contingent of UK-based exhibitors we will also welcome galleries from countries including Guatemala, Iran, Lebanon, South Korea, and Thailand.
WW: Can you tell us about this edition’s partnership with Getty PST ART, which will feature kites by Candice Lin in Regent’s Park?
EL: We are excited to debut a new commission by artist Candice Lin, part of a series of collaborations between Frieze and Los Angeles arts institution The Getty in the run-up to their PST ART initiative. The work sees Lin create large-scale Korean fighter kites which are displayed at the fair and flown by performers every day in The Regent’s Park. On Saturday, Candice will co-host a kite workshop with Yaeun Choi, with members of the public invited to make and fly their own kites.
Niklas Asker, “Mirror,” 2021, Oil on MDF board, brass plate and walnut frame, 38 x 29 cm; courtesy of the artist and Union Pacific.
Frieze Week in London
WW: There are a number of solo shows of note—Clearing showing of Marguerite Humeau, Pilar Corrias showing Sophie Von Hellerman, and Hauser & Wirth showing of Barbara Chase-Ribaoud. What do you think these kinds of presentations bring to a fair like Frieze London? Why do they make sense in this setting?
EL: Frieze began as a magazine back in 1991, and those same editorial principles that underscored the magazine are present in our fairs. In addition to our own curated program, we encourage our participating galleries to present solo or curated presentations. The fair provides an international platform for galleries and their artists, bringing together the world’s leading institutional figures and collectors under one roof, while capturing the attention of a global audience. With that in mind, it makes total sense that galleries would choose to stage ambitious mini exhibitions at the fair and we’re so grateful that they do. They truly make the fair what it is, which is so much more than just a marketplace: it’s an educational platform, a commissioning body, and a meeting place for the arts community.
Mariel Capanna, “Cigarette, Candles, Fireworks, Swan,” 2022, Oil, wax, and chalk on panel, 76.20 x 66.04 x 3.33 cm; courtesy of Adams and Ollman.
New Programs This Year at Frieze London
WW: Can you tell us about the Artist-to-Artist feature and how that plays into this year’s anniversary?
EL: Artist-to-Artist is a special section devised for Frieze’s 20th anniversary, as we wanted to foreground artists, who are so integral to the fabric of the fair. We invited eight celebrated artists with a track record of mentoring talent—including Tracey Emin, Wolfgang Tillmans, and Anthea Hamilton—to each select a lesser-known counterpart for a solo presentation at the fair.
WW: Outside of the fair, what are you looking forward to seeing/doing in London this week?
EL: There are so many truly incredible institutional exhibitions taking place across the city, from Sarah Lucas’s major retrospective at Tate Britain, to Tate Modern’s new Turbine Hall commission from El Anatsui, and Julianknxx’s public program at the Barbican, there is so much to see and do.
