Frieze London is back and to celebrate 20 monumental years, the organizers behind the mega fair will present the most international edition to date. Returning to Regent's Park starting today until October 15, the 2023 iteration will see over 160 galleries from 46 countries converge in the British capital for a week-long celebration of the UK cultural landscape, along with an array of satellite events across the city.
As a hallmark to the fair, Frieze Masters will spotlight six millennia of art, including rare antiquities to masterpieces from the 20th century. Curated by AWARE, this year will also feature a new themed section by Camille Morineau, dubbed Modern Woman, which spotlights solo exhibitions by female artists from 1880 to 1980 - a pivotal time in the development of feminism and woman's rights. Studio is another new program introduced this year which will shift the focus from the actual artwork to the site in which creation takes place. The inaugural edition is curated by Tate curator Sheena Wagstaff and features artists Maggi Hambling, Mona Hatoum, Lucia Laguna, Arlene Shechet and Hyun-Sook Song.
Curated by Turkish writer and curator Fatos Üstek, the latest Frieze Sculpture will comprise of 21 towering artworks from the likes of Hank Willis Thomas, Yinka Shonibare, Leilah Babirye, Tomás Saraceno, Suhasini Kejriwal, and more. "Encountering art in the public realm gives us an experience like no other," Üstek previously noted. "At its best, it can astonish, inspire awe, and create collective wonder. We're in an age where our society spends most of its time in a digital world, but that world does not speak to us in the same way."
Announced earlier this year, Ghanaian artist El Anatsui is the latest figure to be tapped to reimagine the Tate Modern's iconic Turbine Hall. Commissioned by Hyundai, the hanging sculpture will feature Anatsui's signature use of bottle caps - a device he uses to comment on how alcohol was used as barter during colonial trade across Africa. His latest work, which opened yesterday and will be on view until April 14, 2024, directly comments on the museum itself. "The only brand of sugar we ever used in the Gold Coast and, later, after independence, in Ghana, was Tate & Lyle," noted the artist.
From Frieze's extensive programming to the many satellite events and exhibitions orbiting the fair, London will be packed with events throughout this week, as well as the rest of year. Hypeart compiled a list of shows and booths to check out on your Frieze 2023 voyage.
