All art-world eyes will be eagerly focused on New York for the next few weeks; the American editions of two big-gun art fairs, Frieze and TEFAF, kick off this week while next week sees the sale of the Rockefeller Collection at Christie’s which will almost certainly become by far the most valuable collection ever sold at auction. The following week, the auction houses host their major spring auctions of Impressionist, Modern and Contemporary art, which include a painting by Amadeo Modigliani at Sotheby’s estimated at $150 million, and already guaranteed to sell.
Kicking off today is Frieze’s New York edition (2-6 May), now in its seventh year and with more than 190 galleries convening in a pavilion on Randalls Island and showing works by more than 1,000 artists. At the fair, you’re spoiled for choice, but highlights include a range of work by David Hockney at Pace, who also have a show of his new work in their New York gallery, while Hauser & Wirth’s booth will show “STOP MAKING SENSE” – a selection of works from the 1980s by artists including Louise Bourgeois, Larry Bell, Phyllida Barlow and Roni Horn, all exploring the politics of the body in space. Also be sure to look out for “Black Dada Flag (Black Lives Matter)”, a huge flag by Adam Pendleton, will fly on the island for six months as Frieze’s first lasting public art installation.
Before you’ve had time to recover from the opening of Frieze, it’s time for TEFAF New York Spring (4-8 May, Park Avenue Armory) which focuses on Modern and Contemporary Art & Design. New exhibitors this year include Gagosian, Marian Goodman, Massimo De Carlo and Lévy Gorvy. We’re looking forward to seeing El Anatsui’s Almost at Mnuchin Gallery; Andrew Lord’s sculptures at Gladstone Gallery; and Josef Albers’ Study for Homage to the Square: Terrassed Foliage at David Zwirner.
You’re going to need some serious stamina to see the best of both fairs, and don’t forget to make time to visit some of the other galleries in town, many of which are opening major shows and exhibitions. Highlights include Galerie Perrotin’s new show of Takashi Murakami, Lévy Gorvy’s exhibition of new works by Dan Colen and ‘Five Years’, a retrospective of sorts at Nahmad Contemporary.
