Visitors to the October Gallery room at the 1-54 African art fair. Courtesy 1-54
Visitors to the October Gallery room at the 1-54 African art fair. Courtesy 1-54
Visitors to the October Gallery room at the 1-54 African art fair. Courtesy 1-54
Visitors to the October Gallery room at the 1-54 African art fair. Courtesy 1-54

What London Frieze Week was like this year without a fair


Melissa Gronlund
  • English
  • Arabic

The new term last week was "almost Frieze", as Frieze Week in London went ahead without the physical art fair that initiated the week-long programme of openings, talks, performances and sales when it began 17 years ago. Due to the coronavirus, Frieze's regular tents in Regent's Park never appeared, but such is the fair's influence on the art world calendar that UK art professionals were still left clocking up the steps and Uber rides as they travelled from appointment viewing to appointment viewing.

One after another, the major autumn shows opened: the National Gallery's anticipated exhibition of the Baroque painter Artemisia Gentileschi; the Tate's slightly too small retrospective of American artist Bruce Nauman; Whitechapel Gallery's superb presentations of the German painter Kai Althoff and its new commission by Indian-Pakistani artist Nalini Malani; and the Barbican's celebration of choreographer Michael Clark.

Nalini Malani's new video commission, 'Can You Hear Me?' (2020), opened right before Frieze Week at the Whitechapel Gallery in London. Whitechapel
Nalini Malani's new video commission, 'Can You Hear Me?' (2020), opened right before Frieze Week at the Whitechapel Gallery in London. Whitechapel

Frieze itself was a hybrid event, with a live performance and exhibition programme complementing the online talks and viewing rooms in which Frieze's 250 galleries sold their wares. Despite some initial worries over the state of the art market and online viewing room fatigue, the overall feedback was sound. Two-dimensional work, especially paintings, led the way: Hauser & Wirth, the international mega-gallery, sold a Mark Bradford painting for $3.5 million; London gallery Lisson sold four diptychs by Laure Prouvost at €35,000 each ($41,300); and Lehmann Maupin from New York sold a Mandy El-Sayegh painting in the price range of £20,000-50,000.

Frieze Live's performances included Zadie Xa and Benito Mayor Vallejo's 'Dream Dangerously', 2020. Performed by Jia-Yu Corti. Courtesy of the artists and Galería Agustina Ferreyra
Frieze Live's performances included Zadie Xa and Benito Mayor Vallejo's 'Dream Dangerously', 2020. Performed by Jia-Yu Corti. Courtesy of the artists and Galería Agustina Ferreyra

Regional galleries also reported sales. Sunny Rahbar of the Third Line in Dubai sold two Nima Nabavi mathematically inspired geometric drawings to the Deutsch Bank Collection, and Sfeir-Semler in Beirut sold 12 drawings by Lebanese artist Mounira Al Solh to the Tate. These went via the £150,000 fund supported by Endeavor, part-owner of Frieze, for acquisitions from the fair for the Tate collection.

Green Art Gallery, from Alserkal Avenue in Dubai, set geometric paintings by Kamrooz Aram beside sculptures by the Brazilian artist Ana Mazzei, and reported reserves on some of the works.

Over at Cromwell Place, the new gallery network that also opened on Saturday, Lawrie Shabibi of Dubai reported impressive numbers: they sold three paintings by Mohamed Melehi at $35,000 each, as well as silkscreens by the Moroccan artist.

And – somewhat remarkably – there was still a physical event in the 1-54 African art fair, which takes place in the historic Somerset House, a former palace fronting the Thames. Benefiting from a smaller scale and being in a permanent institution, the fair was able to open with 30 galleries worldwide with artists from Africa or its diaspora.

Visitors came at appointed slots and followed a strict one-way system around the building. The fair, which has previously hovered on the periphery of the Frieze itinerary, was suddenly thrust front-and-centre, offering the pleasure of seeing new art in person, and buoyed also by the art world's long-overdue interest in black artists. The fair met the spotlight handily, with stand-out booths by Tafeta from London, Polartics from Lagos, Ubuntu Art Gallery from Cairo, and Gallery 1957 from Accra, which sold out its entire booth.

The painting Saint Madiba, 2019, by the British-Ghanaian artist Godfried Donkor, on sale at Gallery 1957's presentation at the 1-54 African art fair in London. Gallery 1957 sold out its entire both. 1-54
The painting Saint Madiba, 2019, by the British-Ghanaian artist Godfried Donkor, on sale at Gallery 1957's presentation at the 1-54 African art fair in London. Gallery 1957 sold out its entire both. 1-54

The star of the week were the gallery presentations, which also differed from previous years in a so-old-it's-new reversal: contemporary art galleries … in Mayfair. Galleries such as White Cube in Hoxton Square and Maureen Paley lured art professionals away from their traditional moneyed stomping grounds of Mayfair in central London.

But over the past few years galleries have been edging back. For Frieze Week, Studio Voltaire, Sadie Coles HQ, Lisson Gallery, Frieze Live and Stephen Friedman showed in pop-up sites on Cork Street, just a few steps away from Bond Street. This meant gallery-goers could take in around 50 exhibitions in central London before collapsing at Frieze's temporary HQ at the Fumoir bar at Claridge's. A mix of old glamour and new, international offerings and socially distanced catch-ups: it was as good an almost-Frieze Week as anyone could have hoped for.

While you're here
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Abu Dhabi race card

5pm Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic Prestige Dh110,000 1,400m

5.30pm Abu Dhabi Colts Classic Prestige Dh110,000 1,400m

6pm Abu Dhabi Championship Listed Dh180,000 1,600m

6.30pm Maiden Dh80,000 1,600m

7pm Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap Dh80,000 1,400m

7.30pm Handicap (TB) |Dh100,000 2,400m

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills

Simran

Director Hansal Mehta

Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Soham Shah, Esha Tiwari Pandey

Three stars

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

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RESULTS

2.15pm Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (Dirt) 1,200m

Winner Shawall, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi (jockey), Majed Al Jahouri (trainer)

2.45pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,200m

Winner Anna Bella Aa, Fabrice Veron, Abdelkhir Adam

3.15pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,200m

Winner AF Thayer, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel

3.45pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m

Winner Taajer, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel

4.15pm The Ruler of Sharjah Cup – Prestige (PA) Dh250,000 (D) 1,700m

Winner Jawaal, Jim Crowley, Majed Al Jahouri

4.45pm Handicap (TB) Dh40,000 (D) 2,000m

Winner Maqaadeer, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson

The biog

Siblings: five brothers and one sister

Education: Bachelors in Political Science at the University of Minnesota

Interests: Swimming, tennis and the gym

Favourite place: UAE

Favourite packet food on the trip: pasta primavera

What he did to pass the time during the trip: listen to audio books

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

Premier League results

Saturday

Crystal Palace 1 Brighton & Hove Albion 2

Cardiff City 2 West Ham United 0

Huddersfield Town 0 Bournemouth 2

Leicester City 3 Fulham 1

Newcastle United 3 Everton 2

Southampton 2 Tottenham Hotspur 1

Manchester City 3 Watford 1

Sunday

Liverpool 4 Burnley 2

Chelsea 1 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1

Arsenal 2 Manchester United 0

 

If you go:
The flights: Etihad, Emirates, British Airways and Virgin all fly from the UAE to London from Dh2,700 return, including taxes
The tours: The Tour for Muggles usually runs several times a day, lasts about two-and-a-half hours and costs £14 (Dh67)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is on now at the Palace Theatre. Tickets need booking significantly in advance
Entrance to the Harry Potter exhibition at the House of MinaLima is free
The hotel: The grand, 1909-built Strand Palace Hotel is in a handy location near the Theatre District and several of the key Harry Potter filming and inspiration sites. The family rooms are spacious, with sofa beds that can accommodate children, and wooden shutters that keep out the light at night. Rooms cost from £170 (Dh808).

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ARGENTINA SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Franco Armani, Agustin Marchesin, Esteban Andrada
Defenders: Juan Foyth, Nicolas Otamendi, German Pezzella, Nicolas Tagliafico, Ramiro Funes Mori, Renzo Saravia, Marcos Acuna, Milton Casco
Midfielders: Leandro Paredes, Guido Rodriguez, Giovani Lo Celso, Exequiel Palacios, Roberto Pereyra, Rodrigo De Paul, Angel Di Maria
Forwards: Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Lautaro Martinez, Paulo Dybala, Matias Suarez

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4

The Lost Letters of William Woolf
Helen Cullen, Graydon House 

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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
  • Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
  • Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
  • Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
  • For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
  • Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
  • Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
  • Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
  • Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
  • Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
  • Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.

Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home. 

MATCH INFO

Euro 2020 qualifier

Ukraine 2 (Yaremchuk 06', Yarmolenko 27')

Portugal 1 (Ronaldo 72' pen)

Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company profile: buybackbazaar.com

Name: buybackbazaar.com

Started: January 2018

Founder(s): Pishu Ganglani and Ricky Husaini

Based: Dubai

Sector: FinTech, micro finance

Initial investment: $1 million

Our legal consultant

Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais

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LIVING IN...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Company%C2%A0profile
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Six tips to secure your smart home

Most smart home devices are controlled via the owner's smartphone. Therefore, if you are using public wi-fi on your phone, always use a VPN (virtual private network) that offers strong security features and anonymises your internet connection.

Keep your smart home devices’ software up-to-date. Device makers often send regular updates - follow them without fail as they could provide protection from a new security risk.

Use two-factor authentication so that in addition to a password, your identity is authenticated by a second sign-in step like a code sent to your mobile number.

Set up a separate guest network for acquaintances and visitors to ensure the privacy of your IoT devices’ network.

Change the default privacy and security settings of your IoT devices to take extra steps to secure yourself and your home.

Always give your router a unique name, replacing the one generated by the manufacturer, to ensure a hacker cannot ascertain its make or model number.