Frieze New York’s massive, quarter-mile-long tent. / Image: friezeartfair via Instagram.
Frieze New York, the American leg of the renowned Frieze Art Fair, recently returned to New York City for a third year of celebrating the world’s most prolific contemporary art. With more than 190 galleries and artists represented this year, Frieze New York was bigger than ever, and embodied what New York Times art critics Ken Johnson and Martha Schwendener call “a dumbfounding display of human creative industry.” In addition to the nearly 200 leading galleries that are featured, the impressive art fair also presented curated live discussions and performances, education programs, and more.
Image: friezeartfair via Instagram.
According to its profile, “Frieze new York is an international contemporary art fair that launched in May 2012. Like Frieze London, Frieze New York is housed in a bespoke temporary structure, suffused with natural light. The fair is located in Randall’s Island Park, Manhattan.” This year’s art fair featured some of New York City’s most impressive galleries and artists, as well as talks from Jason Moran, Nadya Tolokonnikova and Masha Alekhina of Pussy Riot, Kenneth Goldsmith, Beatrix Ruf in conversation with Helen Marten and Jordan Wolfson, and others.
Some of last year’s Frieze New York standouts included Balloon Dog by Paul McCarthy, a sculpture so massive it had to be exhibited outside of the fair’s quarter-mile-long tent, as well as MoMA’s Rain Room, and works presented by the David Zwirner Gallery. Critics this year were impressed by the sprawling showing of contemporary talent; Johnson and Schwendener even teamed up to explore as much of Frieze New York as is possible in such a limited amount of time, splitting up to cover as much ground as they could before reporting back. Galleries and works that stood out to them include Andrew Kreps, Gladstone Gallery, Galerie Lelong, The Box, and the Projects section of the art fair, among many others.
Even if you missed Frieze New York this year, it promises to be an event that will continue to flourish and expand for New York audiences. Learn more at friezenewyork.com.
Featured image: friezeartfair via Instagram.