But Frieze Week in London has never been just about the fairs. This year, as in previous years, there will be a brilliant Frieze Week programme of online and live exhibitions and events. Annual highlights include Frieze Sculpture, its temporary outdoor sculpture park in Regent’s Park; Frieze Talks, a series of panel discussions overseen by Nicholas Cullinan, Director of the National Portrait Gallery; and LIVE, Frieze London’s showcase for live art, which this year will be curated by Victor Wang at 9 Cork Street.
‘This October, visitors will find the same commitment to quality and curated content that they would expect at our fairs,’ says Victoria Siddall, Global Director of Frieze Fairs. ‘I’m looking forward to a week that not only delivers commercial success, but also fires imaginations and brings people and art together, both online and offline.’
Marina Abramović, Holding the Lamb, 2010. Color pigment print. Courtesy Galleria Lia Rumma Milan/Naples
The second edition of Frieze Viewing Room will be live from 9 to 16 October, with invitation-only preview days on 7 and 8 October. In keeping with the fairs’ physical editions, the app and the web-based platform will bring together an extraordinary cross-section of work ranging from the ancient era to the modern day. There’ll be everything from antiquities and tapestries to contemporary art and sculpture.
Since its debut in May, Frieze Viewing Room has been upgraded: it will feature handy new tools, such as live chat and social media sharing, as well as the popular ‘sign the book’ and augmented reality (AR) capabilities.
In addition to the gallery presentations, you’ll also find the fairs’ usual offering of special gallery sections. These include: Focus, which supports the participation of galleries aged 15 years or younger; Possessions, a new Frieze London themed section centred around the power of spirituality in the art of our time; and Spotlight, the section of Frieze Masters dedicated to solo presentations of pioneering artists of the 20th century.
Lorna Roberston, The swimmer collage, Oil on paper, 37.2 x 54.4 cm 14 5/8 x 21 3/8 in(paper size). Courtesy of the Artist and Ingleby, Edinburgh
Highlights of the Frieze Week Programme
Frieze Sculpture
Frieze Sculpture (5-18 October) returns to the English Gardens in Regent's park with a roll call of exciting names and some truly monumental offerings. Works by the likes of Lubaina Himid, Richard Long and Rebecca Warren will nestle among the trees, surprising joggers and art enthusiasts alike. The works on display, which are free to view, will also have a virtual presence on the Frieze Viewing Room.
Frieze Talks
Curated by National Portrait Gallery Director Nicholas Cullinan, the Frieze Talks programme includes panel discussions, conversations and keynote lectures by such celebrated names as John Akomfrah. Stay tuned for further programme highlights.
Holly Hendry
Beyond Frieze: What to see and do
During Frieze Week many of London’s best-loved museums and galleries also stage exhibitions and events to entice the influx of art-loving enthusiasts off the streets and through their doors. The choice can be dizzying, however. To prevent overload, make a beeline for our curated highlights below.
Artemisia Gentileschi, National Gallery
Artemisia Gentileschi’s immense talent is often overshadowed by her more famous father Orazio, the story of her rape at the hands of her art tutor, and the subsequent trial that followed. The National Gallery’s long-awaited exhibition (3 October-24 January) casts new light on this pioneering woman who not only forged a highly successful career as a painter in the face of overwhelming odds but also became the first woman member of the Accademia di Arte del Disegno. The first monograph of her work to be staged in the UK is not to be missed.
On 2 October The Fine Art Society relaunches with a new website and gallery in Soho’s Carnaby street. The multi-storey Grade-II listed Georgian townhouse will host temporary exhibitions of 19th and 20th-century British art and design, as well as Scottish art from the 17th century to today. Inaugurating the glorious new gallery space will be a group exhibition of ‘the best of’ the gallery’s artists and designers from the 19th and 20th centuries.
Prince Gyasi, Humility, 2019, Photography, 61 x 46cm. Courtesy Nil Gallery
1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair
Despite the cancellation of Frieze, leading African art fair 1-54 has made the bold decision to return to Somerset House for its 2020 London edition (8-10 October), albeit in a scaled-down version. The physical edition will present around 20 international galleries representing a selection of the most cutting-edge African artists working today. The fair has also teamed up with Christie’s to produce a concurrent online platform: the virtual experience will allow visitors to encounter additional works displayed by participating galleries as well as highlights from the fair itself.
The fair will once again be accompanied by 1-54 Forum, a rich programme (online and offline) of artists’ talks, film screenings and panel discussions curated by Julia Grosse and Yvette Mutumba from Contemporary And (C&).
Cromwell Place
On 10 October a new multi-purpose arts space in the heart of South Kensington will throw open its doors after a five-month delay due to coronavirus. Located in five Georgian townhouses a stone’s throw from the V&A, the arts membership organisation will serve as a hub for UK and international dealers, advisors, curators, collectors and art professionals. Cromwell Place is home to exhibition space, hot-desking office space, viewing rooms, on-site storage solutions and a Members Club serving food by Hide’s Ollie Dabbous. Among the noteworthy new members are Oliver Hoare Ltd (Antiques & Antiquities), Stair Sainty Gallery (Old Masters) and A3-Arndt Art Agency (Contemporary Art).
It will also house Lehmann Maupin’s first London space. The gallery’s inaugural programme features a combination of digital and physical events — to include a residency with British artist Billy Childish (5-20 October). The artist will transform the first-floor space into a studio and develop a series of new paintings on-site inspired by a book of intimate autobiographical photographs to be published on the occasion of this residency: Billy childish, photography 1974 – 2020.
Cromwell Place will be open to the public from Wednesdays - Sundays (times vary) and by invitation only on Tuesdays.
Sarah Maple’s Nazi Sexy Art Show
Sarah Maple (left) and Kate Bryan (right)
This must-see solo exhibition, which arbitrarily takes its name from the words with the highest ‘click through’, brings together text-based marble works, collage, mixed media and installation by the renowned British provocateur Sarah Maple. Born in 1985, the London-based artist is today best known for her work challenging complex ideas around identity, religion, the artworld, feminism and freedom of expression, often using herself as a conduit. Curated by Kate Bryan, arts Broadcaster and Head of Collections for Soho House globally, Sarah Maple’s Nazi Sexy Art Show seeks to push the boundaries of what art can be.
Among the standout works is a series of short semi-autobiographical films (art-coms) that draw influence from sitcoms, such as Extras and Curb Your Enthusiasm, and works by seminal artists, including Cindy Sherman and Sarah Lucas. The films featuring Maple’s real-life collectors and colleagues — to include David Tennant, Will Gompertz, Niki Bedi and Kate Bryan — will also be available to view free of charge on Sky Arts. Blurring the line between fiction and reality, it looks to be as provocative and thought-provoking as previous Maple exhibition showcases.
Exhibition will open on Thursday 1st October until 18th October at Jealous East, 53 Curtain Road, EC2A 3PT
In due course, a comprehensive online guide to participating galleries, museums and partner organisations across the city will be published on Frieze.com
| What | How to get the most out of Frieze Week London: 2020 |
| When |
08 Oct 20 – 11 Oct 20, Times vary depending on venue |
| Price | £FREE for virtual viewing room |
| Website | Please click here for more information |
