Frieze New York's Online Debut

Frieze New York is an international art fair that balances prestige with the elevation of lesser-known talents. One section of Frieze, Spotlight, showcases non-Western art from obscure artists; Diálogos, on the other hand, is a section that celebrates Latin/Latinx and Latin American artists. Regardless of section, however, each art display is extravagantly presented, with exquisite gallery presentations prefacing more ostentatious exhibitions.

In the year bedeviled by the coronavirus, though, Frieze New York was forced to take a different approach to their signature event. Thus, Frieze New York 2020 took the form of a virtual art fair. The fair’s online presence was initially intended for further communication between art dealers and their clients, and now the event has shifted entirely to a digital format for the very first time. Nonetheless, Frieze New York 2020 remains an impressive collection of more than 200 international galleries housed by multiple online viewing rooms and supervised by the art dealers themselves.

Some truly noteworthy examples shine in an already spectacular assortment of masterpieces. The late Keith Haring’s sleek, majestic brushstrokes are on display in a nameless 1982 piece, which is being sold for $3.2 million. Hauser & Wirth are in possession of one of George Condo’s coveted isolation drawings, this one worth $2 million alone. Ultimately, Aquavella Galleries has the fortune of selling the most expensive work of all, an acrylic and oil stick on canvas by Jean-Michel Basquiat, for $5.5 million.

Since everyone with internet access is invited to partake in Frieze New York 2020, the fair will awe a much wider audience with its lavishness, all while exposing them to a new world of artistic talent.

Photo credit: https://hypebeast.com/2020/5/frieze-new-york-online-basquiat-haring-condo-most-expensive-works

Report: Nia Hunt