Frieze New York returns to The Shed this month, featuring more than 65 contemporary art galleries. The fair provides a platform for younger galleries, visual risk-takers, and underrepresented artists. Audrey Gair and the gallery that represents her, King’s Leap, are among the debutants this year.
The event offers newcomers a chance to showcase their work on an international stage. Julia and Maksym Voloshyn, a husband-and-wife team, are presenting works from their galleries in Kyiv, Ukraine, and Miami. This marks the first time a Ukrainian gallery is part of Frieze New York.
Their Kyiv gallery, which opened in 2016, faced closure for almost a year in 2022 during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The gallery offered shelter to several artists, including Nikita Kadan, during this period. “This work was created in our gallery during the war and reflects on his experiences during that time,” said Maksym Voloshyn.
“It’s about resistance and resiliency.”
The Voloshyns’ presentation of Kadan’s work at Frieze symbolizes artistic survival and personal and cultural resilience amidst conflict.
Showcasing underrepresented global artists
Frieze New York provides an essential platform for these and other first-time participants to gain recognition and present their unique artistic narratives to a broader audience.
The fair showcases established and emerging galleries from over 20 countries. The Focus section, curated by Lumi Tan, offers an opportunity for galleries 12 years and younger to showcase solo presentations by emerging artists. Participants this year are from diverse nations, including Brazil, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Indonesia, Kenya, Korea, Mexico, Portugal, Singapore, and Ukraine.
The fair’s collaborations with non-profits offer a dedicated space to support the larger cultural ecosystem of the city. Examples include the Artist Plate Project, which supports the Coalition for the Homeless through unique artist editions, and Printed Matter, the leading non-profit dedicated to disseminating artist books. Notable exhibitions running concurrently in the city feature artists such as Christine Sun Kim and Amy Sherald at the Whitney, Rashid Johnson at the Guggenheim, Luana Vitra at SculptureCenter, and Jack Whitten at MoMA.
New York remains a pivotal center of the global art market and a home to a diverse community of artists. With emerging spaces and established institutions in close proximity, it brings together the full spectrum of arts and culture. During the event, the city’s characteristic spontaneity is in full effect, promising numerous unexpected yet delightful encounters.
The intersection of established and emerging galleries, coupled with the city’s vibrant art community, ensures that Frieze New York in 2025 will be a memorable celebration of contemporary art.
