Canvas & Comeback

Despite a bruised market, Frieze 2025 reminds us why London remains the beating heart of the global art world.

- By TAHIRA CHAWLA

It's no secret that the art market has been struggling, and that galleries have taken a big hit, with a slew of closures making headlines over the past year. So, the energy leading up to London's most coveted art event (Frieze 2025) was definitely weary. But alas! There was a break in the clouds, and London showed off its best self after a long time.

The lead up to the event, which was held from October 15 to October 19, has been strong, with many noteworthy exhibitions at major institutions across the city. On September 20, the Royal Academy opened The Histories, an exhibition of Kerry James Marshall's work. It was one of the most talked about shows in a long time. It has been years since contemporary painting of this grandeur, scale, and seriousness has adorned the walls of the RA, and Marshall's works seem to be at home in those lofty galleries.

Only five days before Frieze London, Peter Doig's House of Music opened at The Serpentine Galleries, and has been a noteworthy show. It is the first time Doig has integrated audio with his paintings, combining his passion for both music and art. Collaborating with his old friend Laurence Passera, they sourced and reconfigured large-scale vintage speakers from abandoned cinemas in the UK, which looked like art installations themselves.

Other standout institutional shows around the town included Lee Miller at Tate Britain, Nigerian Modernism at Tate Modern, Gilbert & George's retrospective at Hayward Gallery, and Rachel Jones' Gated Canyons at the Dulwich Picture Gallery.