Frieze London is an art fair of gargantuan proportions – not to mention the accompanying Frieze Masters, or the various happenings across the city – with a seemingly endless amount of art to digest. Here, we pinpoint what to look out for at the 2018 edition, through the eyes of that most modern of vistas – the iPhone camera roll.
Wilson Oryema, artist and writer (above)
What was the best artwork you saw at Frieze today?
How do I Sell More Art #2 by Karl Haendel.
And the best outfit?
A good friend of mine, Zaina Miuccia (@larrydavid420).
Who’s an artist we should be paying attention to?
Christina Quarles (b. Chicago, 1985) – you can find some of her work at the Pilar Corrias booth.
What did you eat? What did you drink?
Didn’t get a chance to eat anything more than a light snack. For drinks, mostly water, and some rosé.
If you could buy anything you’ve seen, what would it be, and where would you place it?
This rack with part-melted glass vases inside it – unfortunately I forgot to find out a name. I would place inside my bathroom.
How would you summarise the general atmosphere?
The atmosphere was very high energy, with a bit of stress mixed in too.
Antonia Marsh, curator and founder, Soft Opening
What was the best artwork you saw at Frieze today?
Best is a complicated word that’s a bit reductive but I really enjoyed seeing Ida Ekblad’s work, and of course a painting from Ariana Papademetropoulos who shows with us at Soft Opening.
And the best outfit?
Of course I was too engrossed in the art to even notice anything else.
Who’s an artist we should be paying attention to?
Matt Copson – his spectacular three drawings at High Art were the first thing I went to see.
What did you eat? What did you drink?
The food ran out so I was a bit hangry for a lot of the fair, and my poison is an ice cold sparkling water.
If you could buy anything you’ve seen, what would it be, and where would you place it?
An Isa Genzken concrete sculpture, on my bedside table.
How would you summarise the general atmosphere?
Hangry.
Joanna Payne, founder and director, Marguerite
What was the best artwork you saw at Frieze today?
There were so many! Can I have two?! I loved Tina Keane’s Male Order Catalogue at England & Co and Helen Chadwick’s In the Kitchen at Richard Saltoun. The latter is a photographic series showing Chadwick dressed and performing as kitchen appliances that satirises the expectation of women to be the “domestic goddess”. Both are playful comments on femininity and gender roles and are part of this year’s new Social Work section which follows on from last year’s Sex Work and highlights the work of female artists who “challenged the status quo and explored the possibilities of political activism” in the 1980s.
And the best outfit?
Undoubtedly Julia Scher’s security guards – one of the fair’s ‘Live’ projects this year. Dressed head to toe in pink uniforms, the older ladies are meant to highlight the invisibility of elderly women in society.
Who’s an artist we should be paying attention to?
Penny Goring, whose work you can find at Arcadia Missa in the Focus section of Frieze London. Inspired by artists including Louise Bourgeois and Frida Kahlo, Goring’s PTSD flashbacks are manifested in her drawings, paintings, sculptures and poems.
What did you eat? What did you drink?
For lunch we grabbed mushroom quesadillas and beers from Rita’s outside in the sun at Frieze London (a good spot to know about when the cafés inside are rammed!). We later stopped off for a mid-afternoon pick-me-up of cookies and coffee at Gail’s before tackling Frieze Masters – and of course rounded things off with a few glasses of Ruinart Champagne before heading down to Chiltern for the White Cube party.
If you could buy anything you’ve seen, what would it be, and where would you place it?
Kiki Smith’s Seer (Alice I) presented by Timothy Taylor in the Sculpture Park. It’s derived from Alice in Wonderland and refers to Alice swimming in a pool of her own tears. I read that Smith intended this piece to be placed near the water but I sadly don’t have a garden... or any kind of body of water. I live right next to Victoria Park in East London and love to walk or cycle around the boating lake so maybe I’d gift it to the park so it could be displayed there!
How would you summarise the general atmosphere?
Fun and buzzy! Frieze is the annual meeting point for the art world in London – it’s always so good to see everyone there on the opening day (though that does mean you have to go back later in the week if you actually want to spend some time with the art!).
Lotte Andersen, artist
What was the best artwork you saw at Frieze today?
This fab empty performance space. The type of performance work I make is often concerned with reimagining spaces which were filled with bodies. I am fascinated by areas of great activity once the people have left. They are haunting, hold an energy.
And the best outfit?
These fab Russian women, legs for miles!
What did you eat? What did you drink?
This fabulous detritus.
If you could buy anything you’ve seen, what would it be, and where would you place it?
The Lynette Yiadom-Boakye painting this a woman is gasping in front of. The sitter’s serene expression is totally arresting.
How would you summarise the general atmosphere?
I absolutely love Frieze – I’m making a lot of work about people-watching – so I would say it’s really the only trade fair where I get me kicks in all the right places! Ultimately what we are dealing with is the most boujie shopping experience on earth. The looks are slim to none, the conversations are bonkers – I anticipate an #overheardatfrieze account very soon. Where else will you see Raf Simons moving through the aisles like it’s Tesco?
To my chagrin, but not my surprise, I spent the better part of an hour walking around asking ‘where the young black female artist’ was, to shout her out. I was met with, “Lotte, unfortunately we do not have any, but we’re really interested and excited by your current work and practice. We have a very exciting events programme.” I left feeling excited by the frivolity and somewhat daunted by the future of black female artists, and our place on events calendars, rather than in collectors’ homes.
Jack Moss, deputy digital editor, AnOther Magazine
What was the best artwork you saw at Frieze today?
Derek Jarman’s visceral AIDS-era paintings at Amanda Wilkinson at Frieze Masters.
And the best outfit?
The woman with a Prada S/S00 handbag.
Who’s an artist we should be paying attention to?
Mexican-born painter Aliza Nisenbaum, whose work is displayed as part of a small but perfectly formed booth from Glasgow’s Mary Mary gallery.
What did you eat? What did you drink?
Tofu and peanut mochi at the Frieze Masters pop-up of Soho’s XU Teahouse. Gin and tonic(s).
If you could buy anything you’ve seen, what would it be, and where would you place it?
A Charlotte Prodger vase, in my living room.
How would you summarise the general atmosphere?
Overheated.
Frieze London is at Regent’s Park until October 7, 2018.
