Frieze Week is part of the cyclical rhythm of London’s cultural scene: as the leaves crisp and fall and the light becomes dusky and dappled, the two imposing tents take up residence in Regent’s Park, showing off the most desirable contemporary and modern art of the moment. At the main fair, making a list of booths to visit in advance might be an effective antidote to Frieze fatigue: the Focus section is the place for discovering emerging artists and galleries; elsewhere, vertiginous, pacy paintings by woman-of-the-moment, Jadé Fadojutimi (Gagosian), a highly anticipated takeover by Anthea Hamilton (Thomas Dane) and vibrantly hued pastel works by Selome Muleta (Addis Fine Art) are not to be missed.
Beyond the bucolic ambience of Regent’s Park, nature, nurture and culture evolve as themes at Frieze Week this year. The damage humans inflict on the environment – and on themselves – percolates through many of the week’s prominent events, alongside propositions for sustainable and curative art. The fair organisers are also promoting planet-repair, collaborating with Pinwheel to pledge funds and encouraging donations for InterEarth, Justdiggit and Platform Earth. [...]
Away from the strip lighting of the tents, there are plenty of gems to be found in London’s galleries during Frieze Week. Among them is the European debut of Dindga McCannon – little known outside the US, the prolific 75-year-old makes dazzling fibre works, costumes and murals. Her solo exhibition at Pippy Houldsworth, Dindga!, shows off her exceptional craftsmanship in a collection of quilts and textile assemblages. The works also give pause for thought, resurrecting forgotten yet pivotal moments of American history in which Black women have been the protagonists.
Championing Black women and their stories is mirrored in the work of Tschabalala Self, the sought-after young artist who, like McCannon, hails from Harlem. Commissioned by Avant Arte to create a public sculpture installed in King’s Cross, Self decided to make a larger than life (at three metres) bronze of a seated woman. She is, like many of Self’s women, not a representation of a single woman but an amalgam inspired by many women she knows. Quiet yet imposing, the figure is also an arbiter of stylish dressing, in calf-length heeled boots and a wide-brimmed hat. More of Self’s work is on view at Pilar Corrias during Frieze Week.
