frieze 2025

new york

article by Hela Grabowska

the myth,

meaning

and absurdity

From May 1–4, 2025, New York City transformed into a veritable art marathon as it hosted Frieze New York alongside at least ten other art fairs, over a hundred gallery openings, and numerous graduation exhibitions. The culmination of this cultural deluge was Frieze New York, held at The Shed in Hudson Yards. With 67 participating galleries and an estimated 250,000 visitors, the fair presented a microcosm of the contemporary art world's stage.

It is safe to say that if you are not exhausted from the art marathon now,

the New York marathon in November will be a piece of cake.

My absolute favorite discovery was at Hales Gallery.

Chitra Ganesh

'Tree of life', 2024,

Acrylic, ink, embroidery, textiles, fur, ceramic, glass on paper,

Hales gallery booth,

Frieze New York 2025

At the Hales gallery booth, at the courtesy the assistant showed the other works by Chitra Ganesh from her work album.

Here: the linocut comic books about

female empowerment.

They showcased Chitra Ganesh's "Tree of Life," a large-scale painting that delved into themes of creation, destruction, and regeneration. Drawing from South Asian mythology and visual culture, Ganesh's work challenged patriarchal narratives and centered queer and female perspectives.

Her intricate multimedia composition invited viewers to reconsider traditional storytelling frameworks, offering a maybe more bitter, but much more reflective counterpoint to the fair's more commercial displays.

Towering figures, resembling inflatable versions of the iconic Marvel character, adorned with brass instruments, were, in fact, meticulously crafted from bronze. Each piece cost around $3 million, and all were sold within hours on the first day.

While Koons's work has always courted controversy, this latest offering seemed to epitomize the art market's leaning over for spectacle rather than substance.

Among the most talked-about installations was Gagosian Gallery's presentation of

Jeff Koons's

Hulk Elvis

sculptures.

Jeff Koons

'Hulk (Tubas), 2004 - 18,

Bronze sculptures,

Gagosian gallery booth,

Frieze New York 2025

The juxtaposition of childhood nostalgia with opulent materials raised questions about

the exploitation of culture and the role

of irony in

contemporary art.

In the booth facing the Hulk invasion, a quieter, almost meditative space on display was the James Cohan Gallery. Tuan Andrew Nguyen showed his musical kinetic sculptures, and per request, the operator would activate them, creating a poetic aura as the metal plates began to vibrate. Titled Outburst and Tremor, two kinetic mobiles crafted from fragments of unexploded ordnance found in Quảng Trị, Vietnam—the site of the most intense aerial bombing in recorded history. The artist recovered the material, repurposing it into sculptural forms that quietly resist their violent origins.

The result was a subtle

but deeply resonant movement,

echoing both the invisible presence

of trauma and the possibility of healing.

Tuan Andrew Nguyen

'Outburst' and 'Tremor',2025,

Kinetic installation,

James Cohan gallery,

Frieze New York 2025

Yet, despite these moments of critical engagement, a pervasive sense of detachment lingered.

With near countless global crises unfolding, the fair's overall lack of political and cultural commentary felt conspicuous. While some booths embraced activism, many others seemed content to prioritize aesthetics over substance, raising the question of the role of art in the contemporary world.

In navigating the labyrinth of booths and installations, one couldn't help

but reflect on the dual nature of

Frieze New York

2025.

On one hand, it celebrated artistic sensitivity of aesthetics

and creativity. Vibrant structures and textures dominated not only in textiles

but also in sculpture and even paintings- giving them extra depth and life.

On the other, it mirrored the art world's ongoing tensions between

commerce and commentary. Where Frieze New York in my opinion failed us, was with the special curation.

NYC has unparalleled energy in every neighborhood — from the West Village

to Flushing, it weaves together

people of different

ethnicities and religions.

I wished to experience more of this dynamic mixture of savvy and shocking, unapologetic installations that would make this edition stand out. Which again raises the issue of caution.

Facing the ‘art as an investment’ I wish it didn’t exclude ‘art for the sake of creative expression’.

As my time at one of the biggest art fairs concluded,

I couldn’t help but wonder about the

future direction of contemporary art.

Are we leaning towards financial-ego boosting

superficial trends, or will we be able to use

arts media to draw attention to

the truly important matters?

I guess we’ll have to wait and see.