Frieze London 2012
05.10.2012
It’s that time again! Frieze is back and sounding better than ever. London’s contemporary art event of the year celebrates its tenth edition next week. As well as hosting 175 of the world’s leading contemporary galleries, its Sculpture Park and an exciting, frankly overwhelming programme of projects, talks and films, this year also welcomes Frieze Masters. This new initiative will juxtapose old masters, and ancient and modern art to create a unique perspective on the ongoing dialogue between the new and old.
Frieze Masters will hopefully contextualise much of the work shown in the contemporary fair, creating a two-way mirror, or a Janus-like perspective of artistic transitions that simultaneously looks forward and backward. Exhibited in a bespoke structure designed by Annabelle Selldorf, significant points of history will meet in a uniformly minimal space to allow the art to speak for itself. All booths will share the same flooring and walls are limited to five shades of white and grey. For Frieze Masters director Victoria Siddall, the fair allows for an opportunity to “enrich your experience of contemporary art by looking back to artists’ key influences.” This is really compounded by the aesthetic economy that serves to focus viewers and quiet the distractions of gallery branding.
However, considering this concern with comparison and contrast, it is interesting that Frieze Masters will occupy it’s own space a fifteen minute walk away from Frieze itself. This very noticeable separation would appear to disrupt any sense of continuity, perhaps leading us to question whether they are even part of the same event. Though this physical distinction might form part of a wider metaphor, a canyon that appears between the modern and the contemporary, or a rupture in practice and theory that is totally reliant on historical reference and yet entirely self-referential. Whatever the reason, this is the first time Frieze has attempted to bridge this gap with their ever-expanding banner.
Whether it will be successful is another question, but sheer curiosity had me booking my combined ticket…
Frieze Masters and Frieze Art Fair take place October 11-14, 2012 in Regent’s Park, London. To book your ticket see www.friezelondon.com
Things to see, art fair, frieze, masters.
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