Frieze London: .ART’s experience at the annual contemporary art fair

In 2003, publishers Amanda Sharp and Matthew Slotover founded what would become one of the world’s most influential art fairs: Frieze London. Today, the art fair can flaunt garnering over 60,000 visitors a year. Perhaps its success can be attributed to its thoughtful, curatorial approach: Frieze London exhibits contemporary and living artists alongside its sister fair, Frieze Masters, which is dedicated to artists working before the year 2000. With this, visitors can experience the versatile and extraordinary paths art has taken to become what it is today. The .ART team was lucky enough to be among these visitors. 

.ART adopters at Frieze London

Journeying through Frieze London (and Masters), we interacted with some truly remarkable .ART adopters. First, we visited the booth of OMR Gallery (www.OMR.art). OMR is one of Mexico City’s largest and longest running blue-chip galleries. It is simultaneously one of the most respected contemporary art galleries in Mexico. Since its conception in 1983, OMR has presented over 400 exhibitions, cementing itself as a reputable ambassador for Latin American art within the global art market.  

We then toured the booth of Hauser & Wirth Gallery (www.hauserwirth.art). Starting as a family business in 1992, this gallery has since grown to represent over 90 artists and estates. They do not limit themselves to being a gallery. In fact, Hauser & Wirth concerns itself with sustainability and art education.  

We also got to speak with HOA (www.hoatour.art), Brazil’s first Black-owned art gallery. Founded in 2020 by artist Igi Lola Ayedun, the gallery focuses on Latin-American contemporary art. Their booth featured the works of Laís Amara and Mariana Rocha, both concentrating on the defining characteristics of organic materials, such as the fluidity of water.  

Next, we visited the booth of Goodman Gallery (www.goodman-gallery.art), one of the longest-standing international contemporary art galleries in the world. Founded during the apartheid era in Johannesburg in 1966, this gallery has committed itself to working with contemporary artists wanting to arouse social change. Goodman Gallery also takes on a global approach, exhibiting African artists with international ones.  

Frieze London vs. Frieze Masters

Frieze Masters offers deeper retrospection, exhibiting works preceding the 21st century. It offers visitors a look into thousands of years of art history. This year, the Masters exhibited over 130 galleries from across the globe, and it featured a wide variety of masterpieces from collectible items to paintings and more. To help distinguish this fair from a trade show, architect Annabelle Selldorf carefully crafted an atmosphere illuminated by natural light.  

While in Frieze Masters, we stopped by the booth of Koopman Rare Art (www.koopman.art). Founded by brothers Jacques and Eddy Koopman in 1952, the company uniquely specializes in antique silvers, gold boxes, and objets de vertu (luxury objects not strictly categorized as jewelry).  

The range of our .ART adopters is symbolic of the sheer artistic diversity Frieze London housed this year. Our experience at this art fair, alongside our engagements with .ART adopters, have left us truly inspired. Take a look at our firsthand, filmed experience below.  

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