With this year’s edition of Frieze London opening on Wednesday ahead of Art Basel’s new Paris fair next week, speculation circulated that the timing may force collectors and art world figures to choose between the two. But any concerns were alleviated when some galleries said this week that they had still made big sales at Frieze.
Dealers reported robust attendance from collectors and museum groups hailing from Aspen to Paris to Sharjah, as well as sales of works valued as highly as $5 million. (Sales are self-reported by galleries, making the data difficult to confirm.)
Iwan Wirth, Hauser & Wirth’s president, described the fair’s lively energy, calling the London enterprise “a vivid reminder” of the city’s enduring status as an epicenter of art and commerce. “We’ve felt this on the ground on the first day of the fair. The city is buzzing.”
Below, a look at six works that galleries said sold during Frieze’s opening days.