It’s Frieze Week! Whitewaller London brings you 12 things you should be sure not to miss this week.
1. FRIEZE LONDON
October 6-9 – Regent’s Park
The fair’s 14th edition will host over 160 of the world’s leading galleries, including the English landmarks like Laura Bartlett Gallery, Lisson Gallery, and Stephen Friedman Gallery among many others. In addition, the fair includes a greatly awaited James Turrell solo show and an intriguing new segment: “The Nineties,” curated by Nicolas Trembley.
2. FRIEZE MASTERS
October 6-9 – Regent’s Park
The fifth edition of Frieze Masters will host over 130 galleries, showing art that spans several thousands of years. The 2016 edition will see the debut of Toby Kamps, from Houston’s Menil Collection, as curator of the prominent “Spotlight” section, which is dedicated to solo presentations of under-appreciated artists from the 20th century.
3. TONY CRAGG AT LISSON GALLERY
October 1-November 5 – Marylebone
Spanning both London venues, the show will feature the latest works in Tony Cragg’s career-long pursuit of developing specific groups of sculptural themes and forms that explore material and ways of reshaping the world around us.
4. ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONISM AT THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF ARTS
September 24-January 2, 2017 – Mayfair
The Royal Academy of Arts is presenting the first major exhibition on Abstract Expressionism to be held in the U.K. in almost six decades. The show features over 150 masterpieces by Willem de Kooning, Philip Guston, Franz Kline, Joan Mitchell, Robert Motherwell, Mark Rothko, as well as lesser-known (but no less vital) artists.
5. NJIDEKA AKUNYILI CROSBY AT VICTORIA MIRO
October 4-November 5 – Clerkenwell
This is Njideka Akunyili Crosby’s first major solo exhibition in Europe. The Los Angeles-based artist creates images that are complicated in order to counter generalizations about African or diasporic experiences.
6. WILLIAM KENTRIDGE & IWONA BLAZWICK IN CONVERSATION
September 21-January 15, 2017 – Whitechapel
On October 6 at 7PM, leading South African artist William Kentridge will be joined in conversation by Iwona Blazwick, Whitechapel Gallery Director and curator of the exhibition “William Kentridge: Thick Time,” which is currently on view through January 15, 2017.
7. MIRACLE MARATHON
October 8-9 – Kensington
Serpentine Galleries’ 2016 Miracle Marathon will focus on ritual, repetition, and magical thinking to consider ways in which the imaginary can not only predict, but also play a part in affecting long-term futures.
8. EAST END NIGHT
October 7 – Various locations
London’s East End has long held an aura of fascination which now involves an important art scene. Galleries located in the area, including Calvert 22, Laura Bartlett, and Maureen Paley will host special evening viewings for Frieze audiences.
9. THE HYUNDAI COMMISSION: PHILIPPE PARRENO
October 3 – Tate Modern
The opening of the Hyundai Commission at Tate Modern, achieved this year by French avant-garde artist Philippe Parreno, will mark the start of London’s art week. The event will also allow visitors one last glimpse of Georgia O’Keeffe’s solo exhibition.
10. DONNA HUANCA AT THE ZABLUDOWICZ COLLECTION
September 29-December 18 – Chalk Farm
The Zabludowicz Collection’s annual commission will open to the public this year through a performance orchestrated by American artist Donna Huanca with painted models activating a series of site-responsive architectural and sculptural installations in the Methodist Chapel space in Chalk Farm.
11. ICA LIVE
October 3-8 – Institute of Contemporary Arts
To coincide with Frieze, the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) is presenting a series of live events encompassing dance, film, discussion, performance, and music. The list of highlights of this weeklong programing is exhaustive, with contributions by Andrew Kerton, Mårten Spångberg, James Richards, Sanya Kantarovsky, and others.
12. TOASTING WITH RUINART
October 6-9 – Regent’s Park
Ruinart is the exclusive champagne sponsor of Frieze London and Frieze Masters this year. Be sure to grab your own flute of bubbly around the fair lounges and galleries, as well as checking out the Ruinart lounge at Frieze Masters, which features a specially commissioned project by artist Erwin Olaf.
To hear more about what’s going on in London this week, pick up the latest issue of Whitewaller, out this week in London.
