Frieze Art Fair: Culturally Significant or Just a Status Symbol?
Frieze London is an event like none other: a prestigious art fair held in sprawling tents in Regent’s Park, frequented by artists, curators, celebrities, art-lovers, and, most importantly, collectors. The atmosphere is less like that of a gallery and more like that of an Ikea, except instead of flatpack furniture, there are pieces by the likes of Tracey Emin, Francis Bacon, Joan Miro, and Andy Warhol.
There are two separate fairs: Frieze London focuses on contemporary art by living artists, and features work from over 160 of the world’s up-and-coming galleries, while Frieze Masters displays work from before the 21st century. Alongside this, Frieze Sculpture is free to the general public and showcases outdoor work in Regent’s Park. The fair began in 2003 and has since solidified its importance in London’s cultural calendar. It is not just attended by those in the art world, but also by notable people in politics, film, fashion, and sport – Rishi Sunak, Kate Moss, and Princess Beatrice, as well as various members of the aristocracy, were all spotted at various Frieze events around the city.
The crowd at Frieze is a fascinating insight into the global art community; one where discussions about painting techniques happen in French, discussions about money happen in Russian, and five-year-olds use iPhones to take photos of conceptual art. Fashion often goes hand in hand with art, and this is apparent at Frieze, with street style Instagram accounts, such as @londonersinlondon_, documenting some of the standout outfits in the same way they would Fashion Week. It is a place to dress up and be seen, as well as a brilliant place to people-watch. On top of this, there were numerous high-fashion brands who coincided their SS23 shows with Frieze Week, for example, Raf Simons and Alexander McQueen.
Ticket prices for access to Frieze London and Frieze Masters begin at £48 each, so there is the sense that no one stumbled in by accident; tourists merely looking for a culture fix appear to stick to the many free galleries in London. The sense of wealth is tangible – not only is the art incredibly expensive, but the visitors hold themselves with a sense of importance that is at times intimidating; the person looking at the same piece as you may be about to purchase it for an eye-watering sum.
The question of Frieze’s purpose is one of art in general; is it treated solely as a status symbol, or do people buy art because it legitimately means something to them? At times it seems like the art world is far more focused on commercial ventures than fostering and appreciating artistic talent; at auction houses such as Christie’s in New York, ‘they applaud the price, but not the Picasso’, says writer Fran Lebowitz. And yet, this is not a new phenomenon – art has been used as a form of currency throughout human history, due to the uniqueness and irreplaceability of each work.
Yet perhaps the cut-throat art market can coexist with genuine appreciation; Frieze may be focused on selling to collectors, but it also provides a chance to see an overwhelming array of world-class art in the heart of London. Ultimately, though, Britain’s love of art is shown through the huge amount of free galleries and museums across the country, which are built, curated, and visited, not as an economic investment, but as a cultural one.