Frieze London celebrates 20 years since it first launched in 2003 by inviting eight leading artists to select other artists to receive solo stands during its next edition (11-15 October). Meanwhile, its sister fair Frieze Masters, for art before 1980, will introduce a special section dedicated to women artists.
The Artist-to-Artist section at Frieze London will comprise of the following selling presentations: Deborah Anzinger, selected by Simone Leigh (Nicola Vassell Gallery); Mark Barker, selected by Wolfgang Tillmans (Shahin Zarinbal); Ayoung Kim, selected by Haegue Yan (Gallery Hyundai); Fabian Knecht, selected by Olafur Eliasson (Alexander Levy); Simonette Quamina, selected by Alvaro Barrington; Vanessa Raw, selected by Tracey Emin (Carl Freedman Gallery); Wantanee Siripattananuntakul, selected by Rirkrit Tiravanija (Gallery Ver); and Carlos Villa, selected by Anthea Hamilton (Silverlens). These eight stands will be clustered into a special section at the fair, but this is a one-off and will not return in future editions, a Frieze spokesperson says.
Across Regent's Park, Frieze Masters will renew its focus on women artists—"a task that continues to be urgent," says its director Nathan Clements-Gillespie. Modern Women, curated by Camille Morineau, the co-founder of the non-profit AWARE (Archive of Women Artists, Research and Exhibitions), sees ten galleries devote their stands to solo presentations of women. These include the influential Brazilian Modernist Tarsila do Amaral at Almeida & Dale Art Gallery, and the French sculptor Germaine Richier at Perrotin.
Women will also be front-and-centre of another new feature launching this year at Masters, focusing on the artist's studio. The themed section is curated by Sheena Wagstaff, the former chair of Modern and contemporary art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and has an all-female line up, including Maggi Hambling and Mona Hatoum.
More than 160 galleries will take part in Frieze London, its "most international edition yet", according to an press statement. Those participating for the first time include the young London galleries Ginny on Frederick and Harlesden High Street. They join blue-chip dealerships such as Gagosian, Sadie Coles HQ and Almine Rech.
"With its rich history, diverse communities, and thriving arts scene, London is a place where ideas are exchanged and innovation happens," says Frieze London's director Eva Langret in a statement. "This year’s participating galleries attest to the continued vitality of the city."