Frieze Art Fair

Nice addition to your trip to the park. A few pieces of outdoor artwork which change from time to time. Visit if you are in the area but don’t make a trip just for this.

Ok, so I haven’t gone in the main Frieze Art Fair because I’m a tight-​ass. But they have a free sculpture park, and it makes for a nice little detour if you’re going for a run in Regent’s Park. Worth a visit.

OK all you reverse snobs, don’t be put off by this ‘posh’ art fair its actually quite fun. While yes, it is pricey, 32 quid, the vibe is great, the art approachable, even interactive, and you are even allowed to take photos which how can you not with installations of Tweetie Bird. Take your time and make an afternoon of it, there is even a few places for drinks and lunch. Most of the art is very, very good and enjoyable. One of my favourite events of the year.

This fair is actually held in Regents Park, and was last year, as well.
With many new art exhibits being so hit or miss, Frieze puts on an incredible display of what’s happening around the art world at any given time. There are undoubtedly moments of «huh?» or «oh my god, not another TV display» or «is that popcorn on the floor part of the exhibit or did someone just drop popcorn? Were they selling popcorn at the café?» But it’s worth it for those gasping moments, those OMG your credit-​card-​shredding-​machine-​blows-​my-​mind moments, and those brilliant I-don’t-know-why-I-love-this-bunny-with-a-reaper-painting-but-I-do moments.
The installations created specifically for the fair are particularly awesome. The sculpture garden outside is fantastic and it’s always a beautiful time of year in Regents Park (except I’m sure that me saying so means it will rain next year). Your brain will definitely be somewhat melted for the rest of the day, but if you’re interested in what’s currently happening in the art world, there aren’t many places where you can see so much of the best as well as the up-​and-​coming in one place.

Of London’s vast, obsessively attended (except for this past year…) outdoor art fairs, Frieze is the best regarded. It is, of course, easy to see why. The gallerists and artists who exhibit there are typically high minded and the work is high quality. More so than the others I have headed and will continue to head out to Frieze simply to see what’s on offer, as one would hop galleries on any given Saturday or Sunday afternoon: the hidden gems here have legs.