Talks at Frieze London 2015

Frieze London sees Regent’s Park transformed, overrun by art world movers-and-shakers from leading gallerists to avant-garde installation artists. Also in attendance are an eclectic crowd of speakers discussing everything from the politics of the internet to punk aesthetics. To help you navigate this mazeof cultural repartee, we’ve picked out some of the year’s mostthought-provoking talks.

The Digital Age

The fair’s first talk ‘Energy as Clickbait’ (Wednesday,1pm) sees cult-author Douglas Coupland in conversation with Emily Segal of trend forecasters K-HOLE (who famously predicted the rise of 'normcore'). Expect expert discussion of how fashions crystallise and dissolve in the internet age.

The most obscurely-titled talk of the fair, ‘Bad.Planetary-scale. Delicious’ (Friday, 1pm) makes another foray into cyberspace. Talking to London Design Museum's Justin McGuirk are Dutch designers Metahaven whose recent project The Sprawl explored the potential of internet activism to drive global political change.

Art and Politics

Thinking along similarly politicised lines is Tania Bruguera whose talk ‘Aesth-ethics: Art with Consequences’ (Wednesday, 5pm) is the artist’s first UK lecture after an eight month detention in Cuba. Drawing on her own fearless performance practice she is set to explore art’s most serious implications.

The Punk Spirit

Closing out the fair’s talks are two punk pioneers.Taking to the stage at 1pm on Saturday is Viv Albertine, founding member of The Slits and author of the no-holds-barred memoir Clothes, Clothes, Clothes, Music, Music, Music, Boys, Boys, Boys. Since the mid-70s, Albertine has been at the forefront of counter-culture, and, well, not-giving-a-damn (to put it politely).

Vivienne Westwood, this year’s keynote speaker (Saturday, 5pm), is very much cut (or torn) from the same cloth. A tireless environmental campaigner and the woman who brought you punk and new wave fashion, she is to discuss her life’s work and its inimical relation to social activism. Expect a charismatic and fiercely opinionated close to proceedings.

Talks are free to all ticket holders for Frieze London, but make sure to reserve your seats from midday on the day of the event.