The fifth edition of the highly popular Frieze Masters – the quieter sibling of the boisterous contemporary Frieze Art Fair London – is underway in Regent's Park, London. This year, the fair features 133 leading galleries from around the world. Their various displays include curated and created sections as well as solo exhibitions devoted to the works of artists such as Paula Rego (Malborough Fine Art, London), Robert Motherwell (Bernard Jacobsen Gallery, London), Lynn Chadwick (BlainSouthern, London) and Eduardo Paolozzi (Jonathan Clark Fine Art, London). As usual, there is a gorgeous feast of ancient to late 20th century masters and masterpieces to peruse (and, of course, to buy), reflecting a rich and diverse range of cultural traditions.
New exhibitors, like the Kallos Gallery, have pulled out all the stops, showcasing a singularly striking Cretan bronze helmet amongst an array of impressive antiquities. More concentrated, meditative displays include Vigo Gallery’s exhibition of an exceptional group of paintings produced by the modern Japanese artist Masaaki Yamada (1930-2010) from his series entitled Work, which have been compared to the still lives of Morandi in their concentrated, reflective quality.
Every exhibitor has endeavoured to make an artwork of their own displays, some employing notable curators (such as Sir Norman Rosenthal) or architects (such as David Adjaye), and many choosing to juxtapose the old with the relatively new. Hauser & Wirth and Moretti Fine Arts, both based in London, have created the fictional environment of an "eclectic private collector" for their stand, curated by architect Luis Laplace. Taking their approach as an inspiration, this is a small personal selection of works to fantasy "collect", but more importantly to enjoy and explore.
- Frieze Masters is at Regent's Park until Sunday
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