Held from May 2-6 on Randall’s Island with two preview days the 2018 Frieze Art Fair has added in its seventh edition new sections and programs solidifying its position in the international art world. The importance of Frieze is further demonstrated by plans to hold a Frieze Fair in 2019 in Los Angeles. This  reflects the significant share of the international art market that is dominated by buyers from the United States which account for about 42% of the global art trade.  Frieze Los Angeles may need a new approach as Los Angeles has only 70 galleries compared to the 200 found in New York and 300 in London.  This year, Frieze New York hosted about 70 exhibitors from New York and among the 197 participating galleries 107 leading galleries 30 were from abroad. Art Basel has a growing Miami section and Frieze New York now overlaps with the second edition of TEFAF New York (The European Fine Art Fair, which premiered in 1988)  an important and influential art exhibition held at the Armory.  Other major fairs were held earlier this year in this city, the Armory Show, the Art Dealers Association of America exhibition and numerous other large and small art fairs.  As driven by demand, collectors, and investors, there is a continued expansion of art fairs. TEFAF, the well regarded Art Basel Market Report, estimates that there were 55 international art fairs in 2000 and 260 in 2018.   All major galleries are expanding into foreign markets; the fast growing Asian market in particular.

After all, including gallery transactions, art fairs, and auction houses, the annual art market turnover grew from 2003 to 2017 by 200%.  According to the TEFAF report, the contemporary art market has driven sales for international auction houses since 2004. There has been an increase in the demand for the more speculative contemporary art and half of the buyers are motivated by the quest for investment return and close to 36% for diversification and the appeal of art’s economic value. Estimated global value of art and collectible wealth has reached US $1.62 trillion and will grow to $2.71 trillion in 2026 including the biggest increase in Asia which will double its share to US$776 billion by 2026. It is noteworthy that TEFAF, which also holds the TEFAF Maastricht fair, is a joint venture with the art investment advisory firm Artvest.

The Frieze Art Fair 2018 featured 190 galleries of which forty attended for the first time.  Compared to TEFAF, New York Freeze 2018 has a decidedly younger look and is admittedly more crowded, coming across as more stimulating and aggressive. Over the five days of the fair, Frieze had more than 44,000 visitors. They included many representatives from local and foreign art and museum institutions.  The combination of well-established galleries and small unknown ones delivered a diversity of works that was certainly appealing to a younger audience.  As with other art fairs Frieze carried out its curatorial function on all sales levels. The TEFAF art fair was more sedate and elegant, serving with its 90 galleries an established upscale buying audience with some visitors reporting that they felt more at ease at TEFAF than at Frieze. 

Frieze 2018 experienced strong sales to individuals and leading museums. They included McArthur Binion ($50,000 to $175,000), George Baselitz ($599,000 – 838,000), Robert Rauschenberg ($725,000), Tony Cragg ($210,000) Jack Pierson ($190.000) Seung-taek Lee ($100,000 -200,000), Minjung Kim ($40,000-1000), and Ed Clark ($100,000). Both Focus and Frame sections reported sales as well though not in that magnitude. 

In a Tribute to “For your infotainment: Hudson and Feature Inc.”, Hudson (known to exclusively acknowledge himself without any pre or surname) was acknowledged in the first-ever themed section of Frieze for identifying artists decades before others spotted them such as Richard Prince and Tom Friedman.  A special section displayed the work of eight artists Hudson discovered including Tom Friedman, Jeff Koon, Mike Kelly, Tom of Finland, Raymond Pettibon, and others. Many of Hudson’s artists found a home in established galleries like Akashi Murakima (Gagosian), Raymond Pettibon (David Zwirner), and Tom Friedman (Stephen Friedman Gallery). Their work and other artists from the Feature Inc. gallery were shown in several Frieze solo booths. Ironically, it is reported that Hudson avoided art fairs because they reminded him of shopping malls. 

Among other innovative initiatives at Frieze 2018 was the Frieze Artist Award, an international open call for site-specific work by emerging new artists. It was awarded to Kapwani Kiwanga for his interactive Shade work that was installed on the Park grounds. It was part of the fair’s nonprofit projects which also included the new LIVE section, a program of installations and interactive projects throughout the fair. The new award program and Live were curated by Adrienne Edwards. The Frame section featured solo shows by 19 emerging galleries. The Frame Prize 2018 was given to the Cooper Cole Gallery (Toronto) for exceptional sculptural presentation by Tau Lewis. Spotlight, dedicated to 20^th century pioneers, expanded to 35 solo presentations. Ibaveri Contemporary, Mumbai, received the Freeze Stand Prize for the presentation of Mohan Samant for introducing the innovative pioneering Indian artist not widely known previously.   The Focus stand prize was awarded to Porto’s Nuno Centeno for a group presentation of artists with an interesting dialogue

Addressing the economic concerns for emerging artists, Frieze has been subsidizing stands for young galleries from around the world since 2009 and this year for galleries that had been established less than 8 years ago covered half of the square meter fee in the Frame section and 30% of the fee charged for the Focus section.  For galleries under 12 years old Focus also provided subsidized platforms. Overall charges for the Frame section are 20% less than in 2017 and participation in the new Live Section is free. Frame is a significant section because its 19 emerging galleries present solo shows of vanguard artists.  The traditional Frieze concern with enabling young artists from small galleries was shared by numerous major gallery owners like David Swirner and Marc Glimcher who have been suggesting that a new support structure should be established. Large galleries and auction houses have research departments well beyond the means of small galleries. Frieze offers information and resources with several closed session seminars, providing information that would otherwise not be accessible to smaller galleries.

A significant addition to the 2018 Frieze program was the non-profit venture Allied Editions, a group of New York and British partners which facilitates acquisitions of affordable art work by prominent artists. Their specially commissioned work was launched at Frieze and could be purchased for prices starting at USD$120 with proceeds going to Allied Editions’ exhibitions and education projects.  The link to the lower end of the art market is obvious. There are numerous successful international art fairs, including the Affordable Art Fair and the Ordinary Art Fair that cater to young buyers with limited means. The exploration of global issues has its place at Frieze in curated shows and their artists. Galerie Lelong (New York) presents the question of migration.   Brazilian landscapes are covered by Project 88’s (Sa Paulo) and The Chi-Wen Gallery (Taipei) looks at environmental issues.

Frieze Art Fair 2018 met audience expectations as informal interviews and press reports demonstrate in the frequently noted praise for the addition of innovative programs, the attraction of a younger audience, and a more eclectic selection of galleries. The growing concern for emerging galleries and artists and the inclusion of affordable art was invigorating.   I am looking toward an even more innovative 2019 edition of the Freeze Art Fair.

Claus Mueller   filmexchange@gmail.com