The art world never sleeps, perhaps it just takes quick catnaps between art fairs. Frieze London requires every bit of energy from exhibitors, publishers, curators, critics, collectors and spectators, alike. Founded in 2003 by publishers Amanda Sharp and Matthew Slotover, Frieze is considered to be one of the world's most elite and intellectually challenging art fairs, alongside the Art Basel brand (in the Basel, Hong Kong and Miami Beach locations) and the Armory Week fairs.
Frieze has two other annual counterparts: Frieze New York and Frieze Masters.The original concept for Frieze stemmed from the magazine, founded in 1991 by Sharp, Slotover and artist Tom Gidley. The ultimate goal was to expose the public to living artists whose work was at the forefront of contemporary practices and mediums.
While deceased artists, in the past, held the crown for commanding prices amongst collectors and non-profit institutions, Frieze helped set the precedent for living artists to experience both critical and commercial success in their lifetime. It also acted as a kind of cultural barometer, gauging which artists and galleries would effectively lead the charge into the upcoming season. Now, in its tenth year, Frieze continues to draw immense crowds and the world's most respected creative minds. Frieze Talks have featured guest speakers such as John Baldessari, Bridget Riley, Thomas Demand and Yoko Ono. Frieze Projects has commissioned site-specific works from international artists including Cory Arcangel, Bert Rodriguez and Rivane Neuenschwander. The fair also has sections for Film, Music and a Family Space.
The fiscal and critical results of Frieze are bound to be closely watched throughout the contemporary art world, as it is speculated that 2013-2014 will see some fantastically ambitious curatorial and private projects come to fruition. The tempo of Frieze London, inevitably, will determine the type of tune that the rest of the art world will dance to for the remainder of this year and into the next.
Frieze London opens to the public from October 17th to October 20th in Regent's Park, London. A single adult ticket is £32 and a combined ticket for both Frieze London and Frieze Masters is £50. Guided tours are available. For more information, email info@frieze.com or visit friezelondon.com.
