Wednesday at Frieze

Frieze London and Frieze Masters open on Wednesday 2 October for an invitation-only preview day. Frieze London brings together 160 of the world’s leading galleries exhibiting the works of pioneering contemporary artists. Across the park, Frieze Masters hosts over 130 international exhibitors showcasing art and objects from the ancient era to the 20th century.

Frieze Masters

Unmissable highlights at Frieze Masters include a rare masterpiece by Sandro Botticelli (Portrait of Michele Marullo, 1496) at Trinity Fine Art, iconic ceramics by Pablo Piccasso at Galerie Chenel, and a strong presence of women artists including Gina Pane at kamel mennour and Susan Hiller at Lisson Gallery.

The Spotlight section of Frieze Masters has been curated by Laura Hoptman, Executive Director, Drawing Center, New York. Highlights from this section include pioneering artists from New York, such as Ming Smith, the first African American female photographer to have her work acquired by the Museum of Modern Art, and a presentation of key works from the 1970s by Howardena Pindell, a founding member of the feminist space A.I.R.

Frieze London

Over at Frieze London, Focus, the section of the fair dedicated to galleries aged 15 years or younger, brings emerging talents and vibrant presentation. Don’t miss Project Native Informant, showing a solo presentation of Sophia Al-Maria concerning subjection, the Hollywood film industry and the violence of image and language; Shanghai-based gallery Aike, presents an immersive booth with an interactive performance by artist Tang Dixin, who invites the visitors to relax and have parts of their body dressed and plastered.

New to 2019 is Woven, a section curated by Cosmin Costinas encompassing eight solo presentations by artists working with textiles and weaving.  From Manila’s 1335Mabini presents elaborate compositions by Cian Dayrit, to Primae Noctis' show of Joël Andrianomearisoa working with fabric and monochromatic compositions.

At 5pm Cécilia Bengolea will be performing as part of the LIVE programme at Frieze London. Her performance Anticlockwise Spin, attempts to make a hole in time with dancers moving to connect with the Earth and the cosmos.

Various awards will be presented throughout the day. At 3pm acquisitions made by the Frieze Tate Fund and Contemporary Art Society’s Collection Fund will be announced at The Standard, London Library & Auditorium. At 4pm, the Frieze Art Fair Stand Prize will be awarded to the gallery that exhibits an innovative curatorial response to the art fair context.

_{Main image: Head of Bacchus, Roman, 2nd century AD, marble, 23 x 23 x 20 cm, and Pablo Picasso, Plat Tête D’Homme (Head of a Man Plate), 1947, white faience clay, hand painted and glazed, 38 x 32 x 4 cm. Courtesy: Galerie Chenel, Paris}