Exclusive: The Frieze Art Fair Private View 2009
Emerging from the dark of Regents Park, a big glistening tent designed for the second year running by star architects Caruso St John hosts one of the commercial artworld’s most glamorous nights, the private view of Frieze Art Fair. Claimed to be the leading international contemporary art fair, its seventh edition radiates an atmosphere of glitter, beauty, confidence and — of course — money.
Frieze seems to be the place to look if one wants to find out how the financial crisis reflects onto the art market and it is indeed possible to detect a few changes. The whole spectacle of ‘Frieze week’ has considerably diminished in comparison to previous years and out of the surrounding fairs, Zoo Art Fair is the only one that will take place this year (16 — 19 October). Around 30 of the usually represented galleries have resigned to show in this year’s fair, their places being taken up by new galleries.
However, deals are being made as indicated by the professional red dots on the label that signal the piece has been sold. The air is filled with talk about prices and while looking at a small collage piece in one of the booths I overhear the polite voice of the gallery manager informing a potential buyer that this work has unfortunately already been sold for 40,000 Pounds — would he be interested in similar works at their main gallery, instead? Such deals have probably taken place at the professional view a few hours ago, just like the private view an event kept quiet even on the website, organised for the very serious collectors.
The overall impression of the work is that many galleries went for ‘safe’ pieces by well established or dead artists boasting work by Georg Baselitz, Hannah Wilke or Robert Mapplethrope. However, Frieze is generally not the home of risk-taking. London’s Lisson Gallery exhibits works by amongst others Santiago Sierra and Francis Alys while Sprueth Magers Berlin London has photographs by Cindy Sherman on show. Shortly after entering one can view the big sculpture 'Beethoven’s Trumpet (With Ear) Opus #133', 2007 by John Baldessari, who is currently also showing at Tate Modern. One selling strategy seems to be the focus on artists who have recently shown work in London. One can acquire some of Walead Beshty’s FedEx Large Kraft Boxes at Thomas Dane that were included in Tate’s latest triennial Altermodern, as well as work by Anthony Gormley, Anish Kapoor and Isa Genzken.
Interestingly enough, while missing Tracey Emin’s show at White Cube last May I could see many of the pieces from that show tonight, spread amongst various galleries.
This year’s Frieze features a new section called Frame dedicated to the presentation of solo artists, screenings of four short films by the collective Superflex as well as various talks. There are a few site specific projects to view such as 'Players' by Kim Coleman and Jenny Hogarth, a tent with a viewing platform on top that allows one to overview the whole fair. Inside the tent one is offered a CCTV peephole into the happenings of the fair, people being filmed unknowingly as well as actors intervening into the space. The artists state that they are ‘hoping to heighten visitors’ awareness of the way people “perform” socially within a non-performance arena’.
Indeed, it is not surprising that the night offers a feeling of performance. However, if you look carefully between designer clothes and especially ‘arty’ accessories such as stylish sunglasses, there are small hints that allow even the glamorous private view to seem a little less glamorous or inapproachable. Maybe the gallerists who sneak a cigarette in the strictly non-smoking fair, the black tennis socks apparently taken off by somebody right next to a Michael Raedecker painting or the guitarist from a London indie rock band nicking some of the leftover champagne bottles sponsored by Champagne Pommery make it all seem a little more human.
And you realize that it is not only visitors to the fair who aren’t here for commercial reasons that are overwhelmed by the amount of artwork and people. Neither are they the only ones trying to get a grasp of the fame. While noting down an artwork title I look up from my writing pad and see Anthony Gormley — yet am I not standing to face the artist but another man in his fifties, white hair, dressed in a suit. Gormley’s figure shows itself to me on the digital screen of the man’s camera while he is trying to get a snap of the artist. Gormley himself remains unimpressed, continuing on his conversation over the phone.
In the end, Frieze touches on being almost a spectacle that offers a peek at the beautiful side of the artworld, the fame and gossip and, admittedly sometimes pushed into the background, a great amount of artworks one gets the chance to see. However, with the normal entry fee being 15 Pounds, it is an expense to be well considered.
Frieze Art Fair 2009, 15-18 October, Regent’s Park, London
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