Crowds of Jittery Rich Fill Frieze London Art Fair’s Opening Day
The frenzy for buying million-dollar paintings seems to have tailed off.
Lisson Gallery’s booth at Frieze London features new paintings by the artist Van Hanos.
Photographer: George Darrell, ©, Van Hanos, courtesy Lisson GalleryThe signs were not auspicious before the Frieze London art fair kicked off its 20th anniversary edition in Regent’s Park. (It will run through Oct. 15.) Leaving aside two major wars currently underway and dogged concerns about a global economic slowdown, the art market shows visible strain. Demand for many hot contemporary artists has cooled, and just last week the contemporary art auctions in Hong Kong yielded dismal results across the board.
So it was with trepidation that dealers hung their wares inside the tents of Frieze London and at Frieze Masters, a brisk, 10-minute walk further north into the park. The latter exhibits older work and collectibles—including a juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton named “Chomper” that the David Aaron gallery priced at about $20 million.