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Collection Development

Lea Covers Frieze for Paper City

PaperCity tapped art advisor Lea Weingarten, founder of Weingarten Art Group, for the word from across the pond at the eagerly watched Brit fair convergence Frieze, which storms London every fall. Weingarten reports from Regent’s Park and environs, weighs in on the best booths, buzziest artists, noteworthy dealers and fat-walleted tycoon collectors — and divulges who’s on her watch list.
The art market is always hungry for the new — from emerging artists deserving serious consideration to older artists who have not received the recognition they deserve. You will find both ends of the spectrum in abundance in London during Frieze Week, craved by the well heeled, well-fêted and well-funded. My first stop was the private preview for the PAD Fair in Mayfair — Frieze Week’s offering of 20th/21st-century design and decorative arts. Of the 60 international galleries presenting, the most intriguing showcased hand-worked metal elements ranging from ancient Japanese warring helmets (beginning at $7,000 and snapped up at the Preview), to French jeweler-designed tables, screens and lighting elements. PAD is the only fair at which most of these galleries exhibit all year and is, therefore, an important opportunity to see these treasures in one stop. I never miss a trip to Tate Modern when I’m in London, and this year was no exception. The museum always schedules its most exciting programming during Frieze Week in order to take advantage of the world’s best art patrons’ presence. While the much-heralded Paul Klee retrospective was a draw, the most gratifying surprise was the Mira Schendel exhibition — the first international survey of her work. Schendel (Brazilian, 1919-1988), one of Latin America’s most influential post-war artists, worked in largely geometric, energetic paintings frequently incorporating philosophical text. Her ability to simplify the most complex subjects with quiet beauty is her hallmark.