As if New York’s impressive roster of art fairs—likely the most saturated in the world, especially with recent Armory Week newbies like Art Brooklyn, Moving Image and Independent—needed another major competitor, the London-based Frieze Art Fair has just confirmed long-rumored plans for its expansion to the U.S.
A press release today reveals that Frieze has opted to avoid the Armory Week clusterfuck: it will make its New York premiere in 2012, running May 3-6 on Randall’s Island. What’s especially exciting about this news is that Frieze—with a London edition featuring roughly 170 exhibitors from all over the world, the same number expected at its inaugural NYC show—is far more selective than the mall-like Armory Fair, and commissions new works by artists rather than letting galleries trot out their inventory.
The fair will be housed in a pavilion designed by Dumbo-based architects SO-IL—of last year’s Pole Dance installation at MOMA PS1. Mayor Bloomberg, quoted in the announcement, is excited:
Frieze has a reputation for hosting worldclass arts shows, and with Randall’s Island Park as the location and New York City’s waterfront as the backdrop, this new event should be extraordinary.
Now we’ll wait to see which galleries opt out of the Armory Week gauntlet to hang with this popular import.
(ArtInfo)