Frieze Art Fair 2006
November 21, 2006
| 150 vibrant contemporary art galleries, more than 3000 artists. Sculpture, photography, installation, video, textile and mixed media. The amount of works displayed at Frieze, in Regent's Park London, is striking. An international landscape from Russia to Lebanon, Japan and Brazil. 150 galleries showcased a selection of what 1.000 contemporary artists are spilling out of their creativity. They say the success of an art fair is measured by the number of works sold and by the number of visitors: with a conspicuous number of collectors ready to put hands in their wallet and 40.000 visitors, Frieze can rightly be considered the leading European art fair, a place that only 4 years ago was occupied by the Turner Prize. |
The entrance of the fair already gives you a hint of how overwhelming your art experience will be. Just steps away from the London Zoo filled with fenced wild animals, other kinds of creatures are laying on the grass. Two big white-shining rabbits (Two rabbits by Tom Claassen) welcome the visitors to Sculptures Park. Further down in the green square, sculptures from the 11 commissioned by the Frieze curators, wait to be discovered. Installed within the park trees, Untitled (Tree pants) by Peter Coffin and a kajak stuck in a mountain of gravel (Kajak by Morrison & Signer). |
 The sculpture park is only a small preview of what the fair location has to offer: a huge 3 square kilometres white tent (fancy that in London, just see the London Fashion Week location) packed with art. World renowned British artists Gilbert and George use square panels painting to discharge psychological pain in order to elicit and stir emotions in the viewer. The evergreen installation photography of Vanessa Beecroft and the actionist Paul McCarthy with his ambiguous sculpture "Jack 2002" were also highlights of the fair. |
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Another amazing piece was the Sarah Lucas' "Gnorman". A portly little cigarette-covered munchkin. This curious gnome was created on the wave of the sentimental feelings for a great supporter and friend and was sold for £46.000. Walking down the corridors of art inevitably leads to many famous photo shoots and installations. Among the others, Jurgen Teller's portrait of a pink haired Kate Moss and the benchmark project of Gilliam Wearing "Say what you want to say not what others want you to say" |
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Few more steps and THE fashion comes to me with one bright and slipping photo taken by Hedi Slimane. After three hours spent trying to avoid all the tanned art sellers and the professional buyers, I realized how stressed I was of keeping my eyes wide open and my mind hundred per cent focused. Meanwhile, I had started pointing out a critical thought, what could be considered the most frequently self-asked question since mankind has had spare time. It was like a growing feeling that has accompanied my visit since the very beginning. Is it art what is told to be art ? Is that 'institutional' art much more valuable than other not-well-represented-by-agents art pieces? I didn't want to start a debate on pricing or explore the role of individual taste in visual arts. However, even if you try to dig into the artist's aim, wonder about techniques or just push your mind to understand, eventually you see the artwork taken off the wall and sold for £50.000 in front of your eyes. Well, that can be disappointing. But a fair is business and art is money, so I swallow my feelings down and I keep walking throughout the galleries. 
Then again, eyes wide open for green boats, Union Jack made of dozen of t-shirt safety-pinned together, reflective steal pot, low resolution men... |
