Frieze London 2026 Opens with Gray Wielebinski's Scented Bathroom Installation

Frieze London's 2026 edition opened on October 14 in Regent's Park, drawing the international art world for a preview day that mixed commerce with spectacle. Visitors sipped Ruinart champagne and spent freely, while one attendee coincidentally matched an orange-and-black sculpture by Teresa Solar Abboud. The fair included Anish Kapoor's stainless-steel "Green and Brandy," presented at Kukje Gallery's booth, which doubled as a mirrored selfie spot. Carpeted floors held indeterminate objects that could be read as socio-political commentary or discarded food wrappers, alongside an abundance of paintings. A novel feature—perhaps unprecedented in any art fair—was a bathroom installation by Gray Wielebinski, commissioned by Frieze and produced by creative studio Dean's Bottom. The artist created urinal cakes and toilet rim blocks designed to "diffuse a custom scent invoking the smells of Gray Wielebinski's studio," with notes of pencil shavings, paint, dust and sweat. The installation, titled "Production" (2026), was conceptualized for the fair's restrooms. The writer could not detect the intended scent, possibly due to an early fair-week cold, but awarded top marks for originality. The 2026 edition otherwise followed a typical format, balancing art viewing with social visibility.