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Reviews
The Frieze Art Fair, London 2004 |
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Wim Wenders The Frieze Art Fair is a little bit like, well it seems fashionable to say car boot sale or even meat market, but it is not really like either of these, or anything else. The emphasis is loud and clear, galleries from all over the world gather under one canvas with the primary aim of selling as much work as possible. This is fine, but is it still an interesting place to just visit if you happen to be torn by the humble decisions like buying a sandwich and a cup of coffee or catching the bus home? I think so.
Florian Maier Aichen - 'Untitled' Any piece of work in any gallery can't help but be read within the context of its surroundings. In some places this will be more of a particular consideration than at others, but it will always be a consideration. This enormous tent, with hundreds of fragile white cubes, is probably far more particular a space than the shiny galleries these stalls are representing. All of a sudden, as you enter the main canopy area, there are corridors of little booths each with their star prize enticing you in. There are some absolute gems in amongst this overload. There are people there with very different agendas. No matter what you think your aims are, if you are a visitor, dealer or gallery assistant, it is a very engaging experience to wonder around the fair. Maybe that is what it is closest to, a fairground. You go around, all excited (after having queued for hours), pick your ride and enjoy reading it. There may be one or two others that you enjoy, but you know that you are physically unable to get to see everything there is on offer. Instead, you are quite excited, both by what you see and what you know is still out there, and didn't see. |
One of the rides I enjoyed most of all was Paul Graham's 'Coin on Shelf'. Unlike a fairground, this photograph was not entertainment. It is a sharp piece with gritty elements of reality. The five coins on this rusty yellow shelf talk about a certain familiar environment. There is nothing else on this shelf other than coins, rust and grime. It is, at best, probably harmless. Graham's work here is hugely enticing and poignantly pierces the Frieze sheen. It quickly reminds you that you are in a much larger place than this plastic grotto. I wouldn't describe this as a gem, rather a piece of coal.
Paul Graham - Coins on Shelf Wim Wenders' photograph, 'Car Dump', may initially seem to be drawn from similar city decay. Aside from the blindingly obvious, I am not so sure that it is. This is a highly finished, glossy panoramic shot of a scrap yard that could quite easily be a film set. There is nothing that is really decaying here. It is far more like a library for the retro-cool. One of the sparkling jewels at the fair was Florian Maier Aichen with 'Untitled', his portrait shaped photograph of a bright red forest. This is a remarkable image that would easily consume an entire room and its contents. It is a mesmerizing piece. There is no real way of displaying this work beside anything else, but this being a very commercial environment; every inch of prefabricated white space is filled with stock. This is a great piece that really does shine out. As a whole, one criticism of these kinds of fairs might be that, there is little, if any, emerging work on show. The Frieze Art Fair is not about showcasing new work, it is about showcasing saleable and available work. With an open mind, one may visit the Frieze Art Fair with the aim of finding your route through a vast maze. If you missed it this year I would certainly recommend that you make a note to go and see it next year. If you have been before then you will know what I mean and have to make your own mind up as to whether or not you will be going again. I will be there next year. Eitan Buchalter |
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