Best of Frieze London 2018, Regent's Park

Ah, Frieze. The money, the outfits, the cocktails. Oh, and the art. The biggest and most glamorous art fair in the world returns to London this Thursday.

The format is always roughly the same: a maze of booths, each housing a gallery selling its best wares. Each October, two colossal tents take over Regent's Park, one housing Frieze London, the other housing Frieze Masters. Frieze London brings together over 160 of the world’s leading contemporary galleries from New York to Berlin and Shanghai to São Paulo, while Frieze Masters brings together more than 130 leading modern and old master galleries. Both fairs showcase works by the art world's most respected names, home and abroad.

Always attracting the heavyweights of the art world, as well as the cream of the emerging talent crop, it is the place to be for buyers, sellers, or anyone with an eye for compelling new art. But we all know that Frieze is immensely overwhelming, even for the most seasoned art fair-goers. So, to help you navigate the Frieze Week mania, here are our Frieze London 2018 highlights.

Frieze London 2018: The Highlights

Nan Goldin: Marian Goodman Gallery

This year, the fair will be split into three main sections: the central hub of international galleries; Focus, which celebrates hot new talent; and a themed gallery section entitled Social Work, featuring eight pioneering women artists whose work challenged the political status quo and patriarchy in the '80s and '90s.

Each year, the gallery booths and exhibitions are bigger and glitzier than the year before. This year we are particularly looking forward to the presentation of returning exhibitor Marian Goodman Gallery (C10), who has recently announced its worldwide representation of the photographer Nan Goldin. Marian Goodman will present a series of works by the celebrated photographer dating from 1978 to 2016, alongside works by John Baldessari, Tacita Dean and current Serpentine Gallery exhibitor Pierre Huyghe, among others.

Meanwhile, Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac (B07) brings a diverse range of works by well-established international artists and in-demand emerging artists. On display will be everything from Robert Rauschenberg, Antony Gormley and Gilbert & George to Oliver Beer and Adrian Ghenie. In line with Frieze's own focus on female artists, Thaddaeus Ropac will also exhibit rare works by Minimalist pioneer Rosemarie Castoro.

There are also a number of brilliant solo presentations to look out for this year. Fans of Beijing-based Liu Wei should head to White Cube (D7) for his dramatic architectural installation made out of metal flesh panels, while fans of British satirical artist David Shrigley should make a beeline for Stephen Friedman Gallery (C09). The London-based gallery will transform their booth into a shopfront featuring four main elements: a new series of large-scale neons, a major two-screen digital animation, a new sound-based installation and a new body of works on paper.

Frieze London 2018: Focus

Federico Vavassori, Frieze London 2017

The fair’s celebrated section supporting young emerging talent welcomes 33 galleries this year. All the Focus galleries are 12 years or younger and represent hot new talent from Los Angeles to Cape Town. If you want Instagrammable material, head straight to the site-specific immersive neon-light installation by emerging Hong Kong artist Wong Ping at Edouard Malingue Gallery.

Frieze London 2018: Social Work

Following in the footsteps of last year’s provocative Sex Work: Radical Politics and Feminist Art section, Social Work spotlights eight female artists from the '80s and '90s whose work emerged in response to the global social and political schisms of the time. The eight monographic exhibitions also highlight the role that galleries have played in the support of women, alienated from the mainstream, over the years.

Frieze London Projects 2018

Frieze Projects 2017

Frieze projects is a non-for profit programme which encompasses all the activity beyond the booths at the fair. There's the Frieze Artist Award, which offers a contemporary artist a sought-after opportunity to present a new work at the fair; Frieze Film, which premieres new film commissions; Frieze Music, the fair's off-site music programme; Frieze Live, which features four ambitious artworks by international artists, including Christian Boltanski, Liz Glynn’s interactive dance performance and Julia Scher’s roaming security guards and surveillance installation; and, last but not least, Frieze Talks.

The Frieze Talks are a highlight of Frieze London. Comprising a series of panel discussions, conversations and keynote lectures, they explore, above all, the role played by autobiography in art and society. Access to Frieze Talks is included in the Frieze London admission ticket. Click here for the full programme of talks.

Frieze Masters 2018

Richard Saltoun, Spotlight section, Frieze Masters 2017

Frieze Masters showcases six thousand years of art (but nothing made after the year 2000) by bringing together more than 130 leading modern and old master galleries from around the world. This year, like Frieze London, Frieze Masters is split into three major sections: the main hub of commercial galleries; Spotlight, which highlights undervalued artists; and Collections, which introduces new work to the fair.

From Degas and Renoir to Man Ray and Dorothea Lange, the breadth of work on display is always breathtaking. But if you only have time to frisk the fair, head straight to the Hauser & Wirth and Moretti Fine Art booth (D01). The galleries have collaborated for the fourth year in a row to present a solo show dedicated to the poet, writer and intellectual Sir Stephen Spender. The solo exhibition spans six decades and reveals the artistic essence of this celebrated figure. Elsewhere, highlight masterpieces on display include, Cleopatra, a portrait by Artemisia Gentileschi, one of the most celebrated female painters of the seventeenth century, and rare photographs by Man Ray and Marcel Duchamp at Prahlad Bubbar.

Spotlight returns with 26 galleries, all presenting a roster of early twentieth-century artists deserving of greater attention. Highlights include the post-war abstract paintings by Joe Overstreet and the non-traditional textile works by Lenore Tawney. The Collections section features seven galleries showcasing non-traditional media and new types of previously unexhibited work. Highlights include, a display of Sevres porcelain in the Japonist style, from 1880-1920, and a diverse breadth of Japanese studio ceramics.

Like Frieze, Frieze Masters also presents a series of panel discussions, conversations and keynote lectures. Marking the centenary of women’s surffrage in the UK, this year’s programme, curated by Royal Academy director Tim Marlow, features women contemporary artists in conversation with museum curators and directors. Frieze Masters Talks are hosted in the auditorium and are included in your ticket price. Seats can be reserved from 11am on the day of each talk at the auditorium. Click here, for the full programme of talks.

Frieze Sculpture 2018

Rana Begum, The Third Line Jhaveri Contemporary Kate MacGarry and Galerie Christian Lethert, Frieze Sculpture 2018

Every year, Frieze also selects a number of sculptures to be displayed outside of the tents as part of their outdoor sculpture garden. Freed from the claustrophobic and overwhelming interior of the tents, the artworks are allowed to breathe. Curated by Clare Lilley, the Director of Programme at Yorkshire Sculptue Park, Frieze Sculpture 2018 presents 25 new and significant works by 20th-century masters and leading contemporary artists from around the world including Tracey Emin, Elmgreen & Dragset and Sean Scully. Delighting joggers, collectors and amateurs alike, Frieze Sculpture is one of London’s best free outdoor sculpture parks. Walk between Frieze London and Frieze Masters to take it all in.

Now for the....

Frieze London Essential Tips:

Remember: it's quality over quantity. You really, really can't see everything; the layout's a maze and the whole thing is fairly exhausting. Before tackling Frieze or Frieze Masters, bear in mind these essential tips.

1) Arrive as early as you can, before the crowds

2) Bring a coat for the sculpture garden and wear comfortable shoes, but also...

3) Dress to kill – it's a fashion parade after all

4) Take pictures – not just for Instagram, but so that you can remember what you saw, if buying or dreaming of buying is on your agenda

And finally,

5) Don't get too drunk and spend all your money on a sculpture made of coat-hangers and chicken-bones, or a giant inflatable Felix the Cat

The lowdown on the crowd

Frieze is to the art world what LFW is to the fashion industry. It's a place to see and be seen. This is a no-messing-around kind of affair. It's the one time of the year when scholars, connoisseurs, dealers and big-time collectors mingle, hob-knob and party with A-list actors, models and It girls.

Last year, alongside the good and the great from the art world (Grayson Perry; Sir Nicholas Andrew Serota; Hans-Ulrich Obrist) actor Benedict Cumberbatch was spotted with his wife, as was Princess Eugenie, who is an associate director at contemporary art gallery Hauser & Wirth (if you can believe it).

But it's not just the art world heavyweights who look forward to Frieze. The leading annual art fair in the world also pulls fashionistas from across the globe. Don’t be surprised to see Eva Cavalli, Valentino Garavani, Lulu Guinness or Bianca Jagger.

Socialite name-dropping aside, Frieze is the most respected (and anticipated) fair in the art world calendar. With this in mind, do look at the art on the walls as well as the people swishing down the aisles.

Frieze London: Where you should eat

Social Wine and Tapas, Frieze London

At Frieze London, a range of high-end gastronomy and slightly more accessible pop-ups are on offer. Look out for newcomer The River Café alongside returning Frieze London favourites Ahi Poké, GAIL’s, Petersham Nurseries and Company Drinks. This year, Frieze Masters will host outposts of Gails’s, Locanda Locatelli, Umu and Xu Teahouse.

The Vital info

Visit the Frieze website for information on day tickets for Frieze, Frieze Masters and ticket packages. As a heads up, a combined ticket to Frieze London and Frieze Masters at £64.50 is the most cost-effective way of attending the fairs.

Frieze London is located in the south of The Regent’s Park, with the entrance off Park Square West. The postcode is NW1 4NR.

Frieze London opening hours 2018:

Wednesday Preview 3 October (Invitation only)

Thursday Preview 4 October: 12pm-8pm

Thursday Private View 4 October: 5pm-8pm

Friday 5 - Saturday 6 October: 12pm-7pm

Sunday 7 October: 12pm-6pm

Frieze Masters opening hours 2018:

Wednesday Preview 3 October (Invitation only)

Thursday Preview 4 October: 12pm-8pm

Thursday Private View 4 October: 5pm-8pm

Friday 5 October - Saturday 6 October: 11am-7pm

Sunday 7 October: 11am-6pm

Tickets for Frieze London and Masters are available here.

London beyond Frieze: Frieze Week

Venetia Berry: Life Drawing Class

Frieze is not just about the Regent's Park shenanigans. Far from it. Glittering parties, openings and stellar exhibitions are all scheduled during the week to coincide with powerful collectors and art world aficionados jetting into town.

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Read our round-up of the best things to see and do during Frieze Week London here.

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If you've still got the energy after all that – Frieze Fatigue is a well-known art world syndrome in the days leading up to the fair – it's time to prep the outfit, book a table ahead of time and start dreaming about buying the Picassos, Monets and Damien Hirsts you will most likely never in a million years be able to afford.