Frieze Sculpture Park Unveils Free Summer Exhibition for London

Michael Craig Martin

Regent’s Park is to host London’s largest outdoor sculpture exhibition, featuring 23 leading artists beginning on Wednesday. Frieze Sculpture will open from 5 July to 8 October. The publication and fair organisers present this free out- door exhibition for London and its international visitors throughout the summer months. 

‘It’s fantastic that the free Frieze Sculpture Park will open as part of an exceptional summer of culture in the capital’ – Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London

Selected by Clare Lilley (Director of Programme, York- shire Sculpture Park), Frieze’s first-ever summer exhibition in The Regent’s Park will bring together 23 new and significant works by 20th-century masters and leading contemporary artists from around the world, including Rasheed Araeen, John Chamberlain, Urs Fischer, Gary Hume, KAWS, Alicja Kwade, Michael Craig Martin, Eduardo Paolozzi, Jaume Plen- sa, Thomas J Price, Ugo Rondinone and Hank Willis Thomas.

Programming partner Art Fund will host a series of public tours through- out the outdoor exhibition. The Frieze Sculpture Audio Tour app, also produced by Art Fund, will feature Clare Lilley talking through each of the selected works on display and will be available for download for free from 5 July.

In addition, the free London Summer Art Map, co-produced by Art Fund, Art on the Underground, Frieze, the Mayor of London and Sculpture in the City, will provide the essential guide to an unmissable season of public art- work across the capital.

Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, said: ‘It’s fantastic that the free Frieze Sculpture Park will open as part of an exceptional summer of culture in the capital, showing that London is open to innovation, creativity and to visitors from around the world. I’m delighted that this incredible exhibition will bring new audiences to contemporary art, inspiring Londoners and tourists alike.’

Rocks and Mirror by Alicja Kwade
Rocks and Mirror by Alicja Kwade

Clare Lilley, who selected and placed the works, said: ‘We are thrilled to expand the scope and audience for Frieze Sculpture this year so that even more people can enjoy some of the best outdoor sculpture from around the world in one of London’s exceptional parkland landscapes. From the playful to the political, these 23 works explore contemporary sculpture’s material and technical dexterity, together with its social role and reflection on the human condition and our environment. Presented by world-leading galleries, highlights include Thomas J Price’s (Hales) startling triple portraits of men of African origin; Reza Aramesh’s (Leila Heller Gallery) metamorphosis of mythical animal and subjected figure; and a six-metre-high ubiquitous toy-human figure by KAWS (Galerie Perrotin). Alongside some superb classical modern works by Magdalena Abakanowicz (Marlborough Fine Art), Sir Anthony Caro (Annely Juda Fine Art), Sir Eduardo Paolozzi (Pangolin), Sir Michael Craig-Martin (New Art Centre), and Tony Cragg (Holtermann Fine Art ) are wonderful visceral, textural sculptures by Urs Fischer (Gagosian), Tuakuro Kuwata (Alison Jacques Gallery) and an extraordinary white- enameled bronze tree by Ugo Rondinone (Sadie Coles HQ). Together with a stacked column of bronze footballs by Hank Willis Thomas (Ben Brown Fine Arts) and curious rocks and mirror by Alicja Kwade (Kammel Mennour), this exhibition sets out to intrigue, engage and enthrall diverse visitors across the summer.’

Robert Dingle, Contemporary Programmes Manager, Art Fund, said: ‘Art Fund is so pleased to be programming partner for Frieze Sculpture for a second year and to also be co-producing the new London Summer Art Map. Having the sculptures on display in The Regent’s Park during the summer will mean everyone can really make the most of this extraordinary display ahead of Frieze London and Frieze Masters. We can’t wait to share our free audio companion for Frieze Sculpture and look forward to visitors sharing their highlights from the park, and from London’s fantastic cultural offering as a whole this summer.’

In place from 5 July to 8 October 2017, Frieze Sculpture is located in the English Gardens of The Regent’s Park. Entrance to Frieze Sculpture is free to the public.

Opening 5–8 October 2017, Frieze London and Frieze Masters take place in The Regent’s Park, London. Frieze New York opens in Randall’s Island Park from 5–7 May 2017. 

Tags

, ,