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Frieze New York 2026 took place at the Shed in Hudson Yards - nearly 70 galleries, 26 countries. Art fairs like this are the best windows into what commercial galleries are thinking right now: what they’re betting on, what narrative they’re pushing, and what they believe collectors want. Here’s what I loved and what I’m still grappling with.
Bodies and Flora
James Cohan Gallery. This was a solo booth of work from artist Kelly Sinnapah Mary. Mary’s work blends folklore, heritage, colonialism, and nature. I loved that the figures had fauna, flora, and narratives depicted across their bodies and in some cases were sprouting from flowers. I think this worked well to highlight the interconnectedness of all of the themes valued by the artist.
Red as a Unifying Color
A Gentil Carioca. The booth featured artworks from 16 artists, exploring the color red and its associations with power, desire, and revolution. The work on the floor extended out slightly past the confines of the booth which visually served as an almost road or pathway leading you to the works on display.
Best Sculptures at Frieze
Southern Guild. The gallery, which opened its new space in Tribeca just weeks ago, represents contemporary artists from Africa and its diaspora. I enjoyed the sculptural works from Patrick Bongoy (which were comprised of repurposed materials such as rubber tubes) and Amine El Gotaibi (a conceptual artist who uses steel and wool in his practice).
Distinguished Figurative Works
Victoria Miro Gallery. Generally, I thought this was a very strong booth that featured a variety of mediums. My favorites were works on paper and paintings by Hernan Bas, Khalif Tahir Thompson, and Chris Ofili. These were all intricate and layered (literally and/or metaphorically) figurative works that captured my attention. There was work by one artist, however, that I was not a fan of. . .
Provocative or Exploitative?
Saskia Colwell at Victoria Miro. In an image that I won’t display here, Colwell depicts a nude body of a presumed white woman splayed open sitting on the lap of a nude body of a presumed Black woman, who kind of blends into the background of the leather furnishings. While I understand that Colwell’s work is centered on intimacy, voyeurism, and representation, I did feel like this image was particularly charged—and I’m sure that’s part of the point! But I’m always a little wary of depictions of Black bodies by non-Black artists.
Should We Hate Abstraction?
Johyun Gallery. First and foremost, I love abstract work and abstract artists. But in the context of this fair where galleries are paying five figures to exhibit work, I was a little surprised to see a booth that was so bare and conceptual. But I think seeing the work in this booth (and a few others) that were very minimal and abstract was important because it made me think about expectations for an art fair. I think for some there is an expectation—particularly in this moment where contemporary visual culture is so fast paced—that we need to be “wowed” all the time by artwork. It made me question whether my initial reaction was shaped by my own participation in a culture that constantly rewards immediacy and spectacle, or whether the booth could instead be understood as an invitation to slow down amid so much visually overwhelming work.
