Paul Hobson, Director of the Contemporary Art Society, recommends his favourite exhibition of the week.
Frieze Art Fair
13-16 October 2011
Regents Park, London
The must visit exhibition of this week is, of course, Frieze Art Fair. The ninth edition of this now iconic international art event brings together 173 of the world’s leading commercial galleries, showing more than 1,000 artists from 33 countries. A staggering £225million worth of art is available for sale in a new airy and bright structure designed by hot London-based architects, Carmody Groake. The sculpture park, curated once again by David Thorp, includes large scale sculptures by some of the most prominent artists working today, including Tom Friedman, Thomas Houseago, Will Ryman, Kiki Smith and Gavin Turk. Commissioned by Frieze curator, Sarah McCrory, a number of projects punctuated the fair including German artist, Christian Jankowski’s attempt to sell a luxury motor yacht from a booth and Phillipe Huyghe’s aquarium. One of my favourite artists, Laure Prouvost has created a number of didactic and instructional signs to generate confusion, reflection and humour throughout the site, whereas Peckham-based collective, Lucky PDF are running a live TV station producing daily broadcasts with artists and members of the public. The piece I enjoyed the most however was not a commissioned project, but Michael Landy’s artwork in Thomas Dane’s booth, in which an elaborate Heath-Robinson type art machine pulverises your credit card in return for a free drawing! No comment.