Frieze New York Dramatically Slims Down, Relocates to the Shed for 2021 Fair

For the first time since launching in 2012, Frieze New York will leave Randall’s Island. Organizers of the contemporary art fair announced today that its 2021 edition will relocate to the Shed, a multi­disciplinary arts center in Manhattan’s Hudson Yards.

The fair will host around 60 exhibitors in its 2021 edition, meaning that it will be less than half the size of its 2019 event. Victoria Siddall, the global director of the Frieze art fairs, described the relocation to the Shed as “an exciting opportunity to hold a smaller fair” alongside an online viewing room. Next year’s programming at the fair will still include Frame, a section dedicated to younger galleries, as well as special projects, talks, and collaborations. 

Alex Poots, the artistic director and chief executive of The Shed, said in a statement, “The Shed is committed to developing new partnerships and approaches to support the arts and our city at this critical time. We’re looking forward to welcoming Frieze New York together with their artists, galleries and visitors to The Shed next spring,” said Poots. 

Frieze New York was among the first major art fairs to cancel its 2020 edition due to the coronavirus pandemic. The upcoming edition is currently slated to run May 5–9 of next year, and the fair will charge exhibitors around $6,300 to show in its online viewing rooms. Organizers have not indicated whether the move to the Shed will be permanent.

It is not the only fair to relocate to Hudson Yards this year. In March, the Armory Show announced that, after 19 years on Manhattan’s piers, the fair would move to the Javits Convention Center for its 2021 edition. The announcement followed ongoing issues at the piers, some of which were deemed by city inspectors as structurally unsound around a week before the opening of the 2019 edition (the edition proceeded at the piers, with last-minute adjustments). Like the Shed, the Javits Center is a short walk from Chelsea, one of New York’s biggest gallery districts.

Source: artnews.com