The C&TH Guide to Frieze London & Frieze Masters 2022

Frieze London and Frieze Masters are back in London this month, taking place from 12 to 16 October in Regent’s Park. From exciting new sections to firm favourites, Frieze is set to take over the UK capital and reignite the city’s love of art. Below you’ll find our guide to the week’s events and activities – but make sure to check back here occasionally for exciting updates from Frieze London 2022.

The C&TH Guide to Frieze London & Frieze Masters 2022

Emma Talbot: 21st Century Herbal

British artist Emma Talbot, winner of the 2022 MaxMara Prize, will be unveiling a special installation project for the fair’s entrance. Titled 21st Century Herbal, Talbot’s silk hangings takes inspiration from illustrated manuscripts (known as ‘herbals’), which highlight the healing properties of plants. Stretching 28 metres across the entrance to Frieze, the artwork will feature large-scale renderings of faceless figures intertwined with the natural world as the many medicinal uses for seeds, flowers and herbs are uncovered.

Frieze Artist Award: Abbas Zahedi

Coming up to its ninth year, the Frieze Artist Award recognises the talents of an emerging artist, working with them to debut a new commission for Frieze London. This year’s recipient of the award is Abbas Zahedi, an interdisciplinary artist from London whose work ‘blends contemporary philosophy, poetics, and social dynamics with sound, sculpture, and other performative mediablends. You can catch his commissioned work, Waiting With {Sonic Support} next to the entrance of the fair; an installation co-designed with Harley Gray, Bassam Ibellini and Neurofringe, the space presents the merging of a public waiting area and a public support space. Zehedi will be in conversation with Artangel Director Mariam Zulfiqar later in the week, to discuss his practice and inspirations. Thursday 13 October at No.9 Cork Street, London. Book here.

Indra’s Net

A new, special section at Frieze, Indra’s Net (a term from Buddhist and Hindu thought referencing ‘an ethics of being in which an individual atom holds within it the structure of reality’, where all sentient life is interconnected and interdependent) will feature 10 presentations and numerous cabinet displays scattered throughout the fair. Curated by Sandhini Poddar (Adjunct Curator at the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi), the section will feature work from the likes of Dorothy Cross (Kerlin Gallery & Frith Street Gallery), Tuan Andrew Nguyen (Galerie Quynh) and Goshka Macuga (Kate MacGarry).

Focus

Focus, the fair’s section for galleries aged 12 years or younger, provides a platform for emerging artists. This year will see emerging London galleries Emalin, Edel Assanti, Nicoletti, Union Pacific and Tiwani Contemporary participating in the line-up alongside a long list of international newcomers.

Frieze Art Fair 2021 in Regents Park, London. Photo by Linda Nylind for Frieze.

Editions

Making its return to Frieze London for a second year is Editions, a section showcasing the world’s leading publishers of editioned works and multiples by today’s most renowned contemporary artists. Editions seeks to open up the world of collecting to new audiences by offering the opportunity to buy works by leading international artists at affordable prices. Visitors can expect to see the likes of Paragon Contemporary Editions, Cristea Roberts Gallery and Knust Kunz Gallery Editions all making a return this year with big names in the arts industry.

Frieze Sculpture

For 2022, Frieze Sculpture will be showing work that addresses multiple themes, including community, social voice, text and the written word, spirituality, folklore and mythology. Marking the tenth consecutive year that Yorkshire Sculpture Park Director Clare Lilley has taken the curatorial reins, this year’s showcase is also a collaboration with the 11th edition of Sculpture in The City, an annual exhibition of contemporary art placed throughout London, and the Mayor of London’s Fourth Plinth Programme in Trafalgar Square. The event will feature work by 38 artists, including those by John Giorno, Ro Robertson and Ugo Rondinone. Free and open to all, Frieze Sculpture takes place from 14 September until 13 November 2022

Frieze Sculpture Park 2022 in Regents Park. Photo by Linda Nylind.

Stand Out

Another section coming back for its second year is Stand Out, which will bring together objects from different times in an exploration of the idea of a ‘Global Exchange’. Curated by Luke Syson (Director and Marlay Curator of the Fitzwilliam Museum), Stand Out seeks to blur the boundaries of traditional hierarchical distinctions so that audiences reconsider how they view art objects often termed ‘decorative’ or ‘functional’. There will be artworks from 11 galleries, with highlights including Japanese steel weaponry, watercolour paintings from India and Renaissance-era Maiolica.

Spotlight

Dedicated to pioneers of avant-garde art from across the world, Spotlight will be overseen this year by Camille Morineau (co-founder and Research Director of AWARE – Archives of Women Artists, Research, and Exhibitions) and the AWARE team. Bringing together 26 artists, the section will celebrate women artists of the 20th century through painting, photography, sculpture, drawing, and conceptual installation. Championing diversity, overlooked figures and rarely seen practices by modern masters, this section will feature art from Madhvi Parekh (represented by DAG), Sonia Balassanian (represented by Ab-Anbar), and Sister Gertrude Morgan (represented by The Gallery of Everything).

Frieze Art Fair 2021 in Regents Park, London. Photo by Linda Nylind for Frieze.

Frieze Talks

Frieze Masters Talks will see the return of Dr Nicholas Cullinan (Director of The National Portrait Gallery) as curator, with discussions that bring together contemporary artists, writers and curators to explore the connections between historical art and contemporary practice. The series will also feature the likes of Anthea Hamilton, Andra Ursuta, Kamala Ibrahim Ishag and Tyler Mitchell. 6 – 14 October

Frieze Viewing Room

While we can celebrate the return of in-person programming, Frieze will also be running a dedicated edition of Frieze Viewing Room in parallel with both fairs. Those who can’t make it to the fair need not fear, as the expanded online programme will be able to connect audiences to galleries no matter where they are.

A new addition to the lineup this year is Frieze Viewing Room London Edition, a digital viewing platform created in collaboration with leading VR platform Vortic. Virtual visitors will be able to preview gallery presentations ahead of the fair’s official opening, explore new immersive 3D rooms and chat directly with galleries online. Galleries taking part in this section include Axel Vervoordt, DAG, Saskia Fernando Gallery and Victoria Miro. Until 17 October 2022

Frieze Art Fair 2021 in Regents Park, London. Photo by Linda Nylind for Frieze.

Gallery Highlights

Frieze London and Frieze Masters 2022 is expected to be packed with solo shows and exhibitions, such as:

Frieze London

• An immersive installation by renowned German artist Tobias Rehberger in collaboration with LG SIGNATURE OLED R
• London based-Sierra-Leonean artist Sahara Longe presenting her solo show with Timothy Taylor
• A selection of paintings by Emma Amos meditating on the experience of black women, from Ryan Lee Gallery
• A major solo, participatory presentation from Lisson Gallery, who will be showcasing the immersive work of Laure Prouvost
• Pilar Corrias showing the work of Hayv Kahraman, highlighting the intricacies of freedom and suppression with relation to colonialism

Frieze Masters

• Richard Saltoun Gallery presenting the work of British-born abstract minimalist, Romany Eveleigh
• Helly Nahmad presenting a selection of works on paper and painted textiles by Joan Miró
• A solo presentation from Stephen Friedman Gallery focusing on the work of Hungary’s leafding post-war abstract artist, Ilona Keserü
• An environmental installation by Mary Corse presented by Pace Gallery
• Hauser & Wirth unveiling a presentation linked to its Louise Bourgeois show at Hauser & Wirth Somerset

DISCOVER

For more information, please visit frieze.com

Featured image: Frieze Art Fair in Regents Park, London. Photo by Linda Nylind for Frieze.