Frieze Shines a Light on New York’s Artistic History

Frieze New York’s 15th edition, which ran from May 13th-17th, mainly presented New York-based galleries, although the programming also emphasized artists and galleries from Central and South America. As Frieze has previously held fairs in London and Los Angeles–and will set up in Seoul and Abu Dhabi later this year–the New York setting depicted the city as a unique site for rumination and exploration. It also posed a question: What can be uncovered about how New York inspires artists and supports longevity in the arts?Alice Neel, a painter who died in 1984, was representative of a bygone New York, but was being shown at Frieze courtesy of the Victoria Miro gallery. Neel’s oil on canvas painting “Linus and Ava Helen Pauling” (1969) depicts the American chemist and Nobel Prize laureate Linus Pauling with his arm around his wife, Ava Helen Pauling. Their sallow, discolored skin tone typical of the artist’s style contrasts the aloof smile on Linus Pauling’s face. Neel was known for exploring the discomforts of humanity over chasing trends, lending her work a timeless quality. Perhaps one of the best testaments to her ability to capture vulnerability is her painting “Andy Warhol”(1970) on view at the Whitney Museum of American Art, courtesy of David Zwirner. This work shows the Pop Artist recovering from his gun shot at the hands of radical feminist Valerie Solanas. Warhol was known for using clothing and wigs to preserve his nonchalant public persona, while Neel referred to herself as a “collector of souls.” Neel’s paintings remind viewers of a recent past where access to the private lives of celebrities was rare and visual language had not yet become oversaturated. A new sale record for her work was set earlier this week at an auction at Christie’s New York when her 1982 painting “Mother and Child (Nancy and Olivia)” went under the hammer for $5.6M.Participating as part of Frieze’s Focus section for emerging galleries, Ulrik presented a solo show of historical works by Bettina Grossman (1927-2021) who went by the mononym Bettina. Through her balcony at the Chelsea Hotel, the artist was able to engage with the city, incorporating quiet observations into works of art from found materials. Her series, “Phenomenological New York” includes silver gelatin prints of buildings and windows skewed by reflections. Bettina’s C-print, “Traffic Patterns” (1970-80s) transforms the movement of pedestrians and the flow of traffic into a blurry dream state. This year, the Sherman Fund acquired Bettina’s work, alongside the work of three other artists to be displayed at the Brooklyn Museum and the Baltimore Museum of Art. Anna McCormick-Goodhart, representing the artist’s estate, commented on the bittersweet nature of this posthumous award: “I am so pleased to have these histories come to light now. Bettina will receive these benefits in the cosmos.” Recipients of the Sherman Fund receive an award of $5,000, which would have been welcome support for Bettina herself who survived on social security, meals on wheels, and a barter economy.‘Altar,’ by Alix Vernet, 2026. Photograph by Charles Benton. Courtesy of the artist and Chapter NYFollowing in a lineage of New York artists inspired by found objects is contemporary sculptor Alix Vernet represented by Chapter NY. Ms. Vernet explores the potential for beauty in everyday objects by repurposing AC units for a series of “Heat Exchange Poems.” Ms. Vernet creates ceramic casts of buildings around the city, considering site-specific circumstances as a way to honor forgotten histories. Her three works, “Window to the City, St Marks” 2023-26, “Altar” 2026, and “Baby” 2026 were displayed together as if they were one cohesive piece. The artist considers the air conditioning unit as a public sculpture object, highlighting the exchange between the outside air of New York City entering the sanctuary of the home. The preservation of recent histories is integral to the function of Frieze. When curated effectively, this strengthens the narratives of emerging contemporary artists. Whether explored through intimate portraiture or HVAC systems, the convergence of private and public is an apt representation of life in this city. This year, Frieze offered New Yorkers a chance to reframe the human-metropolitan relationship with a sense of wonder.

Frieze Shines a Light on New York’s Artistic History

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