Gartenkinder at Frieze London 2014

So we are back from almost one week London art trip and there is really so much to talk about. Let’s start with one of my first impressions from Frieze Artfair London. For all, who haven’t yet visited an art fair here comes a short explanation: Art fairs are actually supposed to be trade shows, where private collectors can purchase pieces. However, according to New York Times about 80 percent of Frieze visitors are just spectators. The idea of art fairs isn’t new! It originated in the 20ies in Germany and constantly grew in line with the growth of the global art market, particularly in the major art buying countries, USA, China and UK. The biggest art fair in the world is Art Basel, which is hosted at 3 different locations Basel, Miami Beach and Hong Kong. Frieze, which originated in the UK in October 2003, is the second biggest fair…

frieze london 2014

Carsten Holler’s installation “Gartenkinder” at Gagosian Gallery booth at Frieze London. pic http://thecreatorsproject.vice.com/en_uk/blog/carsten-hller-giant-playground-frieze-london

Enough of the background infos! By now I want to share my first Frieze London highlight, which immediately caught my attention upon entering the fair. It was Gagosian galleries exhibition of works by artist Carsten Holler. The first thing we did was take a seat on the wooden benches in front of the booth and watch the installation from a distance. Doing so for a while it somehow evoked ambivalent emotions. On the one hand there was a surrealist, fairytale like spirit in the air just like a slightly abstracted backdrop for the next Alice in Wonderland movie. But on the other hand it looked like the perfect lab setting for a field study on children’s behavior.

Frieze London 2014

Giant roly poly toy triple mushroom by Carsten Holler at Gagosian Gallery booth at Frieze London 2014, pic stylecloseup.net

After we had taken some time to watch the installation we moved closer. Actually Carsten Holler wasn’t a new name for us. We already knew that he has a university degree in agriculture and worked in science for a long time until entering the arts. Taking this into account the first object that caught our sight was the triple mushroom. Triple mushrooms with one half represented by a red and white dotted fly agaric mushroom and the other divided into two randomly chosen edible mushrooms are a frequent element in the art of Holler. But this time another fun element was added. The mushroom moved like a roly poly toy. The objects are surely fun, but I can’t help to see something deeper behind them. The red and white, beautifully looking mushroom is toxic, while these boring brownish pieces are tasty. Its just like in real life things are not always as they seem at first sight! Furthermore, the roly poly element seems to point toward the importance of a balance between opposing things. Just think fashion – vintage and brand new collection, high end luxury designer and bargain. The balance makes the look!

Frieze London 2014

Mirror installation in the corner of the room looking like a diamond from a distance, pic stylecloseup.net

Gagosian Gallery

… and the mirror when you get closer, pic stylecloseup.net

Moving further into the booth there was a fab mirror installation in the corner of the room. From a distance it sparkled like a diamond but moving on and stepping onto it, it immediately felt like loosing ground and really falling into the rabbit hole.

Carsten Holler Soma

Dice (White Body, black dots), 2014 at Gagosian Gallery booth during Frieze London 2014

All in all I really loved the arrangement of different works by Holler in this playful new installation. Alice in wonderland playground for kids versus scientific lab for a field study on children’s behavior, roly poly mushroom toy versus a symbol for the importance of balance between opposites in life, sparkling crystal mirror or hole without ground … everything is left to the observer’s fantasy!

What do you think about art fairs as such? Do you feel that they are only money driven events that tend to destroy the real meaning of art or do you consider them as something worth to visit? Do you like the art of Carsten Holler?