Nomadic Galleries Gain Ground as Frieze Drops Permanent Space Requirement
Frieze has removed the necessity for galleries to possess a physical location for its contemporary art fairs, beginning with Frieze Seoul. This year at Frieze London, Bolanle Contemporary, established by Bolanle Tajudeen in 2023, stands out as the sole nomadic gallery. Tajudeen's mission is to uplift emerging artists through various curatorial initiatives. At Frieze London, the gallery is involved in the Artist-to-Artist program, where Firelei Báez chose Eilen Itzel do Espírito Santo, a 2024 MFA graduate from Slade School of Fine Art. Kristell Chadé and Eva Langret from Frieze highlighted that this shift underscores the importance of program quality. Tajudeen mentioned that current market conditions have influenced the absence of a permanent space. Superposition Gallery, founded by Storm Ascher, also utilizes temporary spaces and has showcased work at Frieze Los Angeles.
Key facts
- Frieze removed the physical space requirement for its contemporary art fairs earlier this year, starting with Frieze Seoul.
- Bolanle Contemporary, founded by Bolanle Tajudeen in 2023, is the only nomadic gallery at Frieze London this year.
- At Frieze London, Bolanle Contemporary participates in Artist-to-Artist, with Firelei Báez selecting Eilen Itzel do Espírito Santo.
- Eilen Itzel do Espírito Santo graduated with an MFA in painting from the Slade School of Fine Art in 2024.
- Stephen Friedman Gallery closed its Tribeca space late last year and its Cork Street flagship in February after entering administration.
- Superposition Gallery, founded by Storm Ascher in 2018, has exhibited at Frieze Los Angeles for two years.
- Zoë Pulley won the inaugural Bronx Museum Acquisition Prize at this year's Armory Show; the Philadelphia Museum of Art acquired a Helina Metaferia piece from Superposition's 2026 Expo Chicago stand.
- At Minor Attractions 2025, Bolanle Contemporary won the WYN Exhibitor Prize for Ramone K. Anderson's Jamaican wake presentation at The Mandrake Hotel.
Entities
Artists
- Bolanle Tajudeen
- Osman Yousefzada
- Firelei Báez
- Eilen Itzel do Espírito Santo
- Storm Ascher
- Helina Metaferia
- February James
- Greg Ito
- Zoë Pulley
- Alex Anderson
- Ida B. Wells
- Frederick Douglass
- Djofray Makumbu
- Ramone K. Anderson
Institutions
- Bolanle Contemporary
- Black Blossoms
- Frieze
- Frieze London
- Frieze Seoul
- Frieze Los Angeles
- No.9 Cork Street
- Sadie Coles HQ
- Slade School of Fine Art
- Stephen Friedman Gallery
- Superposition Gallery
- Expo Chicago
- Philadelphia Museum of Art
- Armory Show
- Bronx Museum
- Seattle Art Fair
- Minor Attractions
- The Mandrake Hotel
- WYN Exhibitor Prize
- Artsy
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- Miami Beach
- United States
- New York
- Los Angeles
- Miami
- Seoul
- South Korea
- Chicago
- Philadelphia
- Seattle
- Dominican Republic