Spotlight on Frieze New York

Frieze New York will celebrate its second year on Randall’s Island from May 10 to 13.

Valeska Soares, Finale, 2013, Galeria Fortes Vilaça, São Paulo, Brazil
Piero Golia, Untitled (18 x 38 in. Rectangular Monochrome), 2013, Bortolami, New York, NY

Piero Golia, Untitled (18 x 38 in. Rectangular Monochrome), 2013, Bortolami, New York, NY

New York’s Randall’s Island will be the temporary home for all of the city’s art enthusiasts when Frieze New York sweeps in from May 10 to 13. In only its second year, Frieze New York has already made a big impression. Like last year, theart fair will once again take place in an enormouscustom-built tent on20 Randall’s Island,New York,NY, sandwiched between Manhattan and Queens in the East River. Of the 180 international galleries exhibiting at Frieze, 55 are based in New York. The fair’s program also includes Frame and Focus, sections dedicated to solo artists and emerging galleries. Frieze has planned several exciting projects for the fair, including a temporary sculpture garden on the island, talks and panel discussions, culinary partnerships, children’s education initiatives, sound installations, and even a work of literature.

Esther Kläs, Untitled, 2013, Peter Blum, New York, NY

Esther Kläs, Untitled, 2013, Peter Blum, New York, NY

Along Randall’s Island Park’s waterfront, attendees can visit the sculpture park, which is open to the public. The 12 works on display come from both established and emerging artists represented by exhibitor galleries. Some highlights include Tom Burr’s reflective a few golden moments, a new work by Saint Clair Cemin entitled Fotini, and Tom Friedman’s Matisse-inspired Circle Dance.

Philippe Parreno, Fraught Times: For Eleven Months of the Year it's an Artwork and in December it's Christmas (April) no 5, 2011, Pilar Corrias, London, UK

Philippe Parreno, Fraught Times: For Eleven Months of the Year it’s an Artwork and in December it’s Christmas (April) no 5, 2011, Pilar Corrias, London, UK

Frieze Projects, a series of works commissioned for the fair, includes new site-specific works as well as a tribute to FOOD, the artist-run restaurant founded in 1971 by Gordon Matta-Clark (American, 1943–1978), Tina Girouard (American, b.1946), and Carol Goodden. The modern incarnation will feature a different artist taking over chef duties each day. FOOD will serve as both a restaurant and a performance space, where visitors can engage in a range of unique visual and culinary connections.

Valeska Soares, Finale, 2013, Galeria Fortes Vilaça, São Paulo, Brazil

Valeska Soares, Finale, 2013, Galeria Fortes Vilaça, São Paulo, Brazil

All of the fair’s newly-commissioned works reference either the geography of Randall’s Island or the experience of attending an art fair. Imagining the fair as a small village, Romanian artist Andra Ursuta will erect a cemetery on Randall’s Island, creating a space for viewers to consider art’s afterlife. Meanwhile, American artist Liz Glynn will stage a speakeasy bar inside the fair. Accessible only through a hidden door, the bar will feature bartenders performing magic tricks, evoking a long-gone era.

Along with these visual works, visitors will also experience Frieze Sounds, a series of audio works. One artist, Haroon Mirza (British, b.1977), will use sounds from fair visitors to create a new aural experience, both at the fair and available for streaming online.

Frieze’s second New York outing is shaping up to be a sensory playground for art lovers. Enjoy the city views and public sculpture outside, and then check out participating artnet Galleries members inside the tent!

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