Frieze Art Fair Debuts in New York Amid Critiques of Art Fair Proliferation

Frieze Art Fair will take place on Randall’s Island Park from May 4 to 7, 2012, marking its expansion to New York after launching in London in 2003. The fair is organized by publishers Matthew Slotover and Amanda Sharp, who founded Frieze magazine in 1991. The article critiques the proliferation of art fairs, noting that major galleries like Gagosian and Zwirner, which have permanent spaces in New York, participate in events such as March's Armory Week and now Frieze, creating a sense of redundancy. New York's art scene is described as a year-round fair due to its clustered neighborhoods, with commercial galleries likened to a single kunsthalle. The piece references Peter Schjeldahl of The New Yorker and uses analogies like the sandwich chain Prêt à Manger to question the necessity of importing events. It highlights the tension between covering fairs and focusing on local studio shows in areas like Bushwick, Long Island City, Harlem, and Newark, suggesting fairs are an arbitrary platform for art spectacle. The author emphasizes that collectors, critics, and the public have multiple paradigms for experiencing art, from museums to parks.