Frieze has revealed details of the debut of Frieze Viewing Room, an ambitious new digital initiative that will launch with an online edition of Frieze New York. The mobile app and web-based platform will be live May 8–15, 2020, with an invitation-only preview May 6–7 , and will offer visitors the opportunity to enter over 200 virtual viewing room spaces. Frieze Viewing Room builds on Frieze’s longstanding commitment to expanding and diversifying audiences by connecting galleries, artists, curators and collectors from around the world. The launch edition of the Frieze Viewing Room is supported by global lead partner Deutsche Bank, continuing a shared commitment to artistic excellence.

The inaugural edition of Frieze Viewing Room will showcase an extraordinary cross-section of artwork, from today’s most exciting emerging artists to pioneering figures of the 20th century. With the use of augmented reality (AR) technology, the Viewing Room will offer users the ability to virtually view artworks, such as paintings or photographs, to-scale and upon their own walls. 

The venture will present artworks intended to be shown at Frieze New York 2020 as well as digital versions of the fair’s curated gallery sections:

• Spotlight is a showcase of solo exhibitions of work by pioneering figures of the 20th century and is curated by Laura Hoptman (Executive Director of the Drawing Center, New York).
• Frame is dedicated to solo artist projects presented by emerging galleries that have been active for 10 years or less and, for the first time, is overseen by Laura McLean-Ferris (Swiss Institute, New York) and gallerist Olivia Barrett (Château Shatto, Los Angeles).
• Focus is dedicated to exhibitors that have been operating for 15 years or less and whose programs represent the vanguard of contemporary art.
• Diálogos is a celebration of Latin American, Latino, LatinX Artists. Rodrigo Moura (Chief Curator, El Museo del Barrio, New York) joins returning curators Patrick Charpenel (Director, El Museo del Barrio, New York) and Susanna V. Temkin (Curator, El Museo del Barrio, New York).
• Chicago Tribute is an homage to the pioneering women artists of Chicago, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the ratification of women’s right to vote. Curated by Julie Rodrigues Widholm (Director and Chief Curator, DePaul Art Museum), who was recently named ‘Chicagoan of the Year’ by the Chicago Tribune.

Visitors will also have the opportunity to explore Frieze New York’s feature exhibitions, including design objects curated by Libby Sellers in collaboration with Collective Design, and a presentation by Daniel Birnbaum and Acute Art.

Loring Randolph , Director of Frieze New York, said: ‘We are so thrilled to unveil the first edition of Frieze Viewing Room by showcasing Frieze New York 2020. It was always intended that this initiative would debut alongside this year’s edition of Frieze New York, and under our current circumstances, our launch has become even more timely. Visitors to the platform will find this year’s exciting programming, including our sections that highlight artists of Latin descent and female artists of Chicago, and our curated presentations with Collective Design and Acute Art. While the Viewing Room could never replace the meaningful connections that come from being with each other physically or experiencing an artwork in person, I hope that this digital version of Frieze New York will inspire our community to come together in the same way our fair does - in support of artists, galleries and non-profits from around the world.’

Victoria Siddall, Global Director of Frieze fairs added: ‘Our original aim in developing Frieze Viewing Room, when we embarked on this more than six months ago, was to create an online platform that would support and celebrate galleries at every level and engage the same audiences we bring to our fairs. We are now delighted to use this initiative to showcase the galleries who would have been at Frieze New York and the works they would have shown there – the quality of work will match that of our fairs and the curated content will be innovatively presented in this new sphere. For the future, we are excited to see how this initiative can expand the potential of our support for galleries and artists.’

Galleries will be able to add up to 30 artworks to their digital space on Frieze Viewing Room alongside video and text, to share information about their featured works and artists. Each two-dimensional wall-based work featured on the platform can be viewed to-scale in a virtual viewing room space and in full-screen detail. Three-dimensional works, including sculptures and installations, will be able to be viewed as images or videos that move a viewer around each work. Video artworks will also be able to be uploaded. Visitors will be able to search for works by artist, price, medium, gallery and section, amongst other fields, and browse the galleries high-resolution images and videos, to learn more about each piece or artist and and make enquiries directly to the gallery.

FURTHER INFORMATION

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