October 3, 2019 |
Craig Green and Saelia Aparicio at MatchesFashion
Fashion month might be over for another season, but fear not – Frieze is here! Thought you’d catch up on your laundry, sleep and self-care? It’s the first weekend of October so think again. In colloquial terms “Frieze” can be roughly translated to: “as much art you can see in five days washed down with multiple glasses of champagne.” The art fair itself opens to the public tomorrow in London’s Regents Park, following on from the preview day and yesterday’s private view. And for the next few days, the 2019 edition of Frieze over 160 commercial galleries will set up shop to showcase the work of artists both established and emerging, with around 60,000 visitors set to attend. Alongside the art comes a series of events both inside and outside the fair, so consider this your cheat sheet of what to check out (and not be overwhelmed by it).
Following on from the success of their partnership in New York and LA earlier this year, MatchesFashion has teamed up with Frieze again to bring the magic of 5 Carlos Place to attendees and art fiends alike. Transforming the ground floor of the Matches Townhouse, Craig Green has created an installation in collaboration with artist Saelia Aparicio inspired by his SS20 collection. Specially created wall hangings feature Green’s embroidered designs by and Aparicio’s hand-painted human forms, alongside functional stackable sculptural pieces, as well as limited edition Craig Green pieces, naturally. Whilst on-site at Frieze, in a specially curated interactive and immersive lounge, comes an iteration of the duo’s installation and a 1980s Xerox-inspired RainbowCam photobooth, created by artists Walter and Zionel. As well as a programme of talks, book signing with the legendary art director and editor Fabien Baron and a host of other events.
Symonds Pearmain AW19, photo by Jason Lloyd-Evans
Following on from their AW19 salon-style show at 5 Carlos Place in partnership with Matches, Symonds Pearmain will be showcasing their SS20 womenswear collection with Matches in a presentation at Frieze this evening. The brainchild of designer and artist Anthony Symonds and stylist Max Pearmain, the brand operates as both Art and Fashion, exploring “the progenitive potential of these increasingly problematic distinctions,” between the two. If their past seasons are anything to go by, expect something fabulously exciting.
As part of this year’s Frize Live schedule, curated by Diana Campbell Betancourt, Priya Ahluwalia the designer behind Ahluwalia Studio has collaborated with Shezad Dawood to create costumes for the artist’s newly commissioned multi-layered performance work. Presented by Jhaveri Contemporary and Timothy Taylor, and Supported by The Bagri Foundation, University of NonDualism is a series of collaborations built around an adaptable stage set by Dawood, which takes architect Muzharul Islam’s polymathic legacy and approach to non-dualism as a starting point. In addition to Ahluwalia’s costumes, Dawood has also enlisted choreographer Adrienne Hart of Neon Dance and electronic music producer patten.
Shezad Dawood x Ahluwalia Studio
Over at 180 The Strand, Prada has opened a member’s only club. For two days, Prada Mode will host an edition of Theaster Gates’s ongoing”Black Image Corporation” project as well as ‘Collective Intimacy’, a program of talks, live performances and club nights. If your invite got lost in the post, don’t fear space opens to the public on Friday, October 4th. Whilst you’re in the area be sure to see Transformer: A Rebirth Of Wonder, a group show curated by Dazed’s Jefferson Hack, and the latest in the series of exhibitions presented by The Store X The Vinyl Factory. The exhibition traverses themes of representation, self-image and identity, as approached in specifically commissioned works of artists including Doug Aitken, Victoria Sin, Donna Huanca, Jenn Nkiru, Korakrit Arunanondchai, and Harley Weir and George Rouy. Accompanying the exhibition is Alchemical Realms – a programme of workshops and talks with the collectives and artists arranged by the exhibition’s associate curator Susanna Davies-Crook, both running until Tuesday, 8th October.
David Roberts Art Foundation’s Evening Performances will this year take over Ministry of Sound nightclub in Elephant and Castle. Guest curator Louise O’Kelly, founder of Block Universe, the event will explore the significance of alternative subcultures and London’s nightlife as a space for freedom of expression in the face of increasingly widespread conservatism. Tonight will mark the 12th Edition of DRAF’s Evening of Performances international artists. Hannah Perry, FluctT and Jimmy Robert are just some of the creatives working across performance, poetry, installation, music and dance will investigate identity politics and club culture in reaction to the contemporary climate.
Dateagle’s ‘Full English’
Coinciding with not only Frieze weekend but the last days before Brexit, Full English opens at Platform Southwark on Friday, October 4th. The group show of paintings showcases the works of 11 artists including Dominic Dispirito, Richie Moment, Tanya Ling, Joe Cheetham, Hetty Douglas, Shadi Al-Atallah and Lydia Blakeley with work created in response to their subjective understanding of contemporary ‘Englishness’ and a national identity in flux, curated by Martin Mayorga and Vanessa Murrell of Dateagle Art. The work included is as varied in response as the components as the cooked breakfast from which the show takes its name.
And of course there’s Dover Street Market – always a cultural hub, especially during Frieze week. During the jam-packed event offering, you will be able to shop the latest collections as well as get a copy of Collier Schorr’s new hardback Paul’s Book, published by Mack, and have it signed by the photographer too on Friday, October 4th. There’s truly no rest for the wicked.
Frieze London 2019 is open to the public from 3rd-6th October.
