FREEZE! It’s Frieze week in New York City.
Are you daunted by all the upcoming shows and fair activities? Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered. From tips on fighting fair fatigue to what events you should sharpie (drop that pencil!) into your schedule this week. Read below for everything you need to know about Frieze New York City 2017.
Just another art fair? Absolutely not! In it’s sixth year, Frieze New York will be open to the public May 5th – 7th on Randall’s island park. This year expect to see 200 of the most influential galleries from around the world (30 countries total). Not only do visitors have the opportunity to view a variety of art from the worlds leading contemporary and modern artists, but Frieze also provides a range of activities that I promise are more rewarding than binging that new Netflix series. Specifically, visitors can expect a series of dynamic talks, site-specific artist commissions, and the hottest cuisine the city has to offer. Overall, the fair is like a pop-up village of the artistic community all set up in an extravagant and fantastic tent on Randall’s Island. As if you needed one more reason to attend, just think of the insta-worthy views of the Manhattan skyline!
So now that you’ve decided to go, let’s get into the logistics.
How to get there: I recommend taking the ferry or the bus over to Randall’s Island. There are ferries that leave on a rather consistent schedule from East 90th street (every 10 minutes) and East 35th street (every 30 minutes). Or, grab the Frieze bus, departing every 10 minutes, from the Guggenheim Museum! For our more #bougie visitors you can drive to the Island but keep in mind it is valet parking only! And of course, ubers, yellows, and gypsy cabs are totally welcome with pickup/drop off at both the North and South entrances.
The Struggle is Real: Fight fair fatigue by knowing what and whom you want to see! Don’t feel like going into intense research mode? I feel you. So, at least know that Frieze has three sections to help you navigate, Frame, Focus, & Spotlight. Frame presents newly established galleries, all less than 8 years old. What’s special about this is that it provides up and coming galleries with the opportunity to grow awareness and acclaim on an international level. Focus is curator driven and presents special projects and solo shows specifically curated for the fair. Spotlight is a section dedicated to work created after 1960. It aims to shed light on work that has yet been seen; whether revealing rare work by modern masters or exhibiting under-appreciated and unrecognized artists.
What exactly is Frieze Talks? Every day the fair participates in a series of keynote lectures, panel debates, and discussions. In it’s fourth year, Freize Talks will “explore and confront questions of agency, politics and perspective”. This year get ready to hear from numerous members of the art world including 2016 MacArthur Fellow and 2017 Bobbitt National Poetry Prize Claudia Rankine, as well as Moma’s Chief Curator of Painting and Sculpture Ann Temkin.
The talks take place daily at 11:30am in the Stella Artois Café. Access is included with admission but get there early because seats are on a first come first served basis.
I believe you mentioned food? Of course! We can’t forget to mention all of the phenomenal cuisine choices available at Frieze. Every year the fair offers some of New York’s most buzz-worthy, and insta-worthy, restaurants for visitors to feast on. This year you can expect to see Williamsburg’s Marlow & Sons, Bushwick’s Roberta’s (seriously have you tried their Speckenwolf pizza), and the lower east side’s Russ & Daughters. Still not sold yet, did I mention Morgenstern’s Finest Ice Cream will be there with their house favorite Bourbon Vanilla? Yaaaaas!
Anything Else I Should Know? As you might have noticed it’s called Frieze Week. Just like Armory Week in the spring there will be a plethora of events this weekend to coincide with the Frieze fair. Here are some I think you should check out!
Wednesday May 3rd – Sunday May 7th, 2017:
Collective Design Fair located at the Skylight Clarkson Sq. in Tribeca. The fair “brings together creative voices from around the world […] to encourage the exchange of ideas, and build a growing audience for collectible design and art”. Expect to see “masterworks of the 20th and 21st centuries alongside experimental works from the next generation of global talent”. The fair is opens every day at 11am and offers designer-led tours every afternoon!
Thursday May 4th, 2017:
Massey Lyuben Gallery presents Something Wrong, a solo show of paintings by the Dutch artist Martine Johanna. Johanna’s first solo show in New York is full of figurative works exploring “the duality between youthful naivety and anxiety-riddled adulthood”. The show will run May 5th through June 10th with an opening reception May 4th 6-8 pm.
Friday May 5th, 2017:
Howl Magazine (yours truly!) collabs with Wix.com and Blank Label Records for an evening of art and music– "Whats Underneath" Art Exhibit explores the inner geography of an artist and their creative process– as well as reflects the rise of feminism and activism in art.
Saturdy May 6th – Sunday May 7th, 2017:
SPRING/BREAK BKLYN IMMERSIVE. Following its March fair, Spring/Break has put together another must see art excursion. Located at City Point in Downtown Brooklyn this edition of Spring/Break will feature “a dozen site-specific, immersive installations and environments”. The exhibition is free and open to the public Sunday 12- 7 pm with an RSVP invitation available opening night, Saturday, 7 – 10pm.
Wednesday May 3rd – September 10th, 2017: Just in time for Frieze Week, Anish Kapoor’s Decension opens at pier 1 in Brooklyn Bridge Park. Brought to us by the public art fund, the 26-foot (diameter) installation of an endless whirlpool creates a remarkable visual juxtaposition situated next to the east river. Seriously, go check this out. •