What Artworks Sold at Frieze London 2023

This week, the art world cognoscenti reconvened in the city’s Regent’s Park for the opening of Frieze London. 130 galleries, from mega-scale to small-scale outfits, brought presentations spotlighting established artists such as Gerhard Richter and Louise Borgeois, as well as emerging artists. This year’s twentieth edition of the fair was actually smaller than in 2022, when 160 galleries participated.

Frieze, owned by US-based media and entertainment company Endeavor since 2016, has committed to growing its exhibitions. Earlier this year, the company Expo bought Chicago and the Armory Show And it recently hosted the second edition of Frieze Seoul.

In the days leading up to Frieze’s VIP preview on Wednesday, Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel, leading the country to launch a bombing campaign against the Gaza Strip. Nevertheless, while the news sounded harsh at the trade event, it did not disrupt business. Transactions at Frieze moved at a steady pace, as galleries reported that collectors were buying works at competitive price points in the six figures; Only a select few reached the low millions.

In a statement, Ivan Wirth, president of Hauser and Wirth, said that „smarter” collectors are paying less attention to younger artists and many are turning their attention to practices by late-career or deceased artists with „intense” qualities.

Established figures such as Wolfgang Tillmans, Antony Gormley, John Acomfra, Barbara Chase-Ribot and Tracey Emin are among the notable darlings who have appeared in the exhibition. They were accompanied by curators such as Christopher Bedford, Nicola Lees; Sohrab Mohebi; Clara Kim; Alexandra Monroe and Robert Rosencrans; Maria Balshaw; Alex Farquharson; Hans Ulrich Obrist.

Rose Wiley in Josh Smith, Gerhard Richter, David Zwirner

At Frieze London’s opening on Wednesday, David Zwirner announced a steady sale of paintings, sculptures and photographs by the big names in its catalogue. A painting by Gerhard Richter sold for $650,000, while two bronze sculptures by Josh Smith this year went for $600,000 and $200,000 respectively. Others by Ross Wiley, Oscar Murillo, Shio Kusaka and Frank Walter sold for $35,000 to $400,000. Works by photographer Wolfgang Tillmans and emerging painter Portia Schwawahera sold for undisclosed prices.
Louise Nevelson, Paulina Olowska at speed

Pace sold several pieces by Louise Nevelson for its presentation at Frieze Masters, part of a London exhibition focusing on artists active in the 20th century. A sculpture by the artist sold to an undisclosed buyer for $2 million, the gallery said. Another sculpture by Polish painter and photographer Paulina Olowska sold earlier this year for $250,000 to a European foundation, and is on loan for the artist’s upcoming exhibition at the opening of Pace’s London location next month. Meanwhile, a painting by Adam Pendleton sold for $150,000. An additional eight sculptures by Arlene Shechet sold for $65,000 each in the exhibition’s opening hours.
In George Baselitz, Martha Jungwirth, Thaddeus Roebach

For its presentation, Thaddeus Roebach, a dealer operating in London, Paris and Salzburg, found success in the gallery’s extensive catalog. Two paintings by German artist Georg Baselitz, who has worked with Ropac since the 1990s, went for €1.2 million and €75,000 respectively. Four paintings by Malaysian-born, London-based artist Mandy El-Sayek went for $115,000; Three paintings by Viennese painter Martha Jungwirth sold for €320.000. Other works by Tony Cragg sold for a total of €325,000; A work by Oliver Beer sold for £50,000; Several paintings by Megan Rooney sold for around €25,000, as well as a sculpture by Erwin Worm for €50,000.
Jacques Vuitton at Louis Bourgeois, Hauser & Wirth

Among the top sales announced during Frieze was a sculpture by Louis Bourgeois sold at Hauser & Wirth’s booth. The standing bronze and stainless steel sculpture, first cast in 1949 and commissioned in 1990, went for $3 million. The price reflected the gallery’s description of the work as „rare” as it was created early in Bourgeois’s career; Others of the same series are housed in several American museum collections. A 1966 abstract painting by Jack Witton Atlantis Rising, drawing allusions to Greece, was one of the unique works sold in the contemporary section of the frieze. It went for $950,000. Two other works on paper by Barbara Chase-Ribot sold for $120,000 each.
Teresita Fernandez, Nary Ward Lehman Maupin

For its presentation, Lehman Maupin said it has placed works with collections in Hong Kong, the United States, the United Kingdom, Turkey, France and Japan. The largest sale was for Teresita Fernandez’s $300,000 sculptural wall work, which was exhibited in Side Santa Fe in 2024 with land artist Robert Smithson. The gallery was also reported to have sold Rest our hearts (2023), a copper panel work by New York-based artist Nari Ward, sold to a prominent collector in the United States for $250,000. The sale comes ahead of Ward’s upcoming solo exhibition at the gallery’s London location next month. Another work by Tammy Nguyen sold for $100,000 to a Tate board member. Meanwhile, works by Loriel Beltrán, Mandy El-Sayegh, Rogelio Báez Vega and Cecilia Vicuña sold for $50,000 to $70,000.