Ah, the Many Smells of Frieze London
Among them champagne, new money, and an artist’s custom-scented bathroom installations.
On October 14, the international art community gathered at Regent's Park for the opening of this year's Frieze London. Attendees mingled, enjoyed Ruinart champagne, and spent considerable sums of money on art. The preview day showcased the exhibition's focus on both artistic appreciation and social status. One attendee even matched an orange-and-black sculpture by Teresa Solar Abboud, emphasizing the event's emphasis on image.
The 2026 edition of Frieze London followed the usual pattern. A mirrored artwork-slash-selfie spot, this time featuring Anish Kapoor's stainless-steel "Green and Brandy," allowed visitors to capture selfies with the modernist piece. The fair also featured various objects on carpeted floors that could be either thought-provoking socio-political statements or simply discarded food wrappers from pricey meals.
Paintings were abundant, with visitors overwhelmed by the sheer number of canvases displayed. A unique aspect of this fair was the presence of loo-based installations, which transformed the restrooms into scented experiences. Frieze commissioned artist Gray Wielebinski to create these installations, which included "urinal cakes and toilet rim blocks" that released custom scents inspired by the smells of Gray Wielebinski's studio.
While some found the olfactory installations intriguing, others, including the reporter, failed to detect any discernible scents beyond the usual dust and sweat.
Written by urgent.news from Hyperallergic's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
