frieze masters 2024: the most significant event complementing the fair

BY GÜLAY YAŞAYANLAR & MÜMTAZ SAĞLAM

The frequently employed solo exhibition arrangements in the 2024 edition of Frieze Masters undoubtedly transformed the viewing experience into an extremely productive environment for the audience. Another notable aspect in this rich, diverse, and vibrant visual space was that artists adopted a multi-technical and experimental approach that prioritized archive-based presentations and the use of ephemera.It was observed that these research-focused production practices, which turned into critical inquiries, concentrated on historical and political content by utilizing interdisciplinary language possibilities, particularly directing themselves toward cultural areas in the Middle East, South America, Asia, and Africa. Similarly, it should be mentioned here the prevalence of subject preferences referencing natural life and authentic perspectives presented alongside dystopian connections.

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Held simultaneously with Frieze London in a separate venue at The Regent’s Park, Frieze Masters stands as the most significant event complementing the fair. Under the direction of Nathan Clements-Gillespie, Frieze Masters continues its mission of bringing together rare antiques and masterpieces from different cultures around the world with highly representative contemporary works. [1] This year, the fair hosted 130 galleries from 26 countries, featuring a large area shaped by gallery participations and comprising sections named Studio and Spotlight. Additionally, a widely attended discussion platform titled “The Creative Mind” was offered through a talk series called Frieze Masters Talks.  [2] – [3] 

Meanwhile, it’s crucial that the fair developed a renewed floor plan to encourage creative connections. In other words, the fair, which has refreshed its identity through a series of designs and arrangements, welcomed important galleries this year such as Galerie Chenel, Sam Fogg, Gagosian, Richard Green, Dr. Jörn Günther Rare Books, Johnny Van Haeften, Hauser & Wirth, Kasmin, October, Lehmann Maupin, Skarstedt, and Axel Vervoordt. Also joining the lineup from South Korea were Arario Gallery, Gana Art, Hakgojae Gallery, and Johyun Gallery.

Located right at the entrance of the area allocated to galleries, Gagosian Gallery greeted its visitors with a pleasant surprise this year, just as it did last year. Presenting works by American sculptor John Chamberlain and renowned Australian designer Marc Newson together, the gallery highlighted Chamberlain’s transformative intent of reshaping machine-produced colorful objects, bending them into new forms. Simultaneously, it drew our attention to the meticulous craftsmanship, technical proficiency, and perfect aesthetics observed in Newson’s furniture designs, garnering great interest with the paradoxical unity it created in the space. [4]

In this expansive area allocated to galleries, the exhibition “Modern British Art / The Legacy of Margaret Gardiner” presented by Osborne Samuel Gallery, consisting of works by famous British artists, received great acclaim as a highly praised and successful arrangement. Featuring names like Naum Gabo, Ben Nicholson, Bridget Riley, Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, William Scott, Patrick Heron, and Eduardo Paolozzi, the exhibition was also accompanied by a catalog written by Judith Legrove, comprehensively evaluating the mentioned artists in line with the artistic developments of a certain period. [5]

Frieze Masters actually has a different setup that provides a platform for specialist galleries to present rare and lesser-known works. In this context, galleries like Gisèle Croës s.a (Brussels), Rasti Fine Art (Hong Kong), Carlton Rochell Asian Art (New York), Rossi & Rossi (Hong Kong), Tenzing Asian Art (San Francisco, Hong Kong), and Thomsen Gallery (New York), especially under the supervision of experts in ancient Asian art who, as always, formed a strong roster, offered visitors new perspectives reminiscent of a museum concept and more than met expectations in this regard. Enriching the viewing experience, galleries participating in the fair for the first time such as Afridi (London), Bijl-Van Urk Masterpaintings (Alkmaar), Galatea (Salvador, São Paulo), Galerie Léage (Paris), Tilton Gallery (New York), and Trias Art Experts (Munich), along with galleries like Offer Waterman and Ben Hunter, emerged as new venues for this diverse showcase.

Meanwhile, the Studio section, in its second year under the curation of Sheena Wagstaff, has rich content pointing to artists’ productions that evaluate the passage of time and are shaped as objects oriented toward the future. [6] In this growing program, solo exhibition-format presentations by Beatrice Caracciolo, Isabella Ducrot, Nathalie Du Pasquier, Shirazeh Houshiary, Kim Yun Shin, Mernet Larsen, Thaddeus Mosley, Doris Salcedo, Nilima Sheikh, and Adriana Varejão were featured. This special section was accompanied by a meticulously prepared catalog and an important text focused on the concept of art and production. [7] – [8] 

The Spotlight section, directed by Valerie Cassel Oliver, was dedicated to solo exhibitions organized on behalf of 20th-century artists. This section essentially focused on artists who produced works somewhat out of the public eye during the time frame extending from the 1950s to the 1970s, or on lesser-known works of renowned names. Therefore, artists like Judy Chicago, Kulim Kim, Balraj Khanna, Donald Locke, Nasreen Mohamedi, Nabil Nahas, Nil Yalter, and many others were given the opportunity to have their works evaluated within this scope.

The frequently employed solo exhibition arrangements in the 2024 edition of Frieze Masters undoubtedly transformed the viewing experience into an extremely productive environment for the audience. Another notable aspect in this rich, diverse, and vibrant visual space was that artists adopted a multi-technical and experimental approach that prioritized archive-based presentations and the use of ephemera. It was observed that these research-focused production practices, which turned into critical inquiries, concentrated on historical and political content by utilizing interdisciplinary language possibilities, particularly directing themselves toward cultural areas in the Middle East, South America, Asia, and Africa. Similarly, it should be mentioned here the prevalence of subject preferences referencing natural life and authentic perspectives presented alongside dystopian connections.

In conclusion, it’s possible to characterize Frieze Masters 2024 as a successful organization that renews itself within an expansion appropriate to its characteristic identity.

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