Frieze London opens with strong sales and celebrity crowds

Frieze London 2025 Opens with Strong Sales and Celebrity Attendance

Frieze London 2025 opened its doors on October 15 with a robust VIP preview that attracted significant crowds and generated substantial early sales, signaling confidence in the contemporary art market as the world’s leading galleries descended on Regent’s Park.

The fair’s invitation-only preview, which commenced at 11 a.m., drew notable attendees including German supermodel Claudia Schiffer, who joined collectors and art world heavyweights exploring the expansive tent housing over 160 galleries from 44 countries. By early afternoon, several major exhibitors reported strong sales figures that exceeded expectations for the opening day.artnews

Record-Breaking Sales Mark Strong Start

Gagosian emerged as an early standout, becoming the first gallery to announce a complete sellout of its booth featuring Los Angeles-based artist Lauren Halsey. The gallery’s presentation included Halsey’s signature polymer-modified gypsum works and a commanding six-foot-tall sculpture titled “LODA PLAZA” (2025), which features signage referencing “Black Tax” and “Affordable Black Art”. A spokesperson for Gagosian noted the “strength of the artist” and confirmed “several placements with serious, long-term collectors” entering both major U.S. and European collections.artnews

Hauser & Wirth reported multiple high-value transactions, led by Ellen Gallagher’s “Lips & Paper” (1993), which sold for $950,000. Other significant sales from the gallery included Avery Singer’s “Lost Boccioni” (2025) for $800,000, George Rouy’s “DESIRELINE II” (2025) for $275,000, and works by established masters including George Condo’s “Head Composition” (2025) for $200,000, Takesada Matsutani’s “Propagation 25-B” (2025) for $250,000, and Cindy Sherman’s “Untitled #650” (2023) for $200,000.artnews

Thaddaeus Ropac successfully sold Robert Rauschenberg’s “Polls” (1987) for $850,000 and Tony Cragg’s smooth wooden sculpture “Ivy” (2016) for $420,000. The gallery noted its intention to exhibit the Rauschenberg work to commemorate the artist’s centennial year ahead of its upcoming Paris exhibition.artnews

Fair Layout Benefits Smaller Galleries

The fair maintained the layout changes introduced last year, positioning major galleries at the rear of two lengthy aisles to encourage collectors to visit smaller and mid-sized galleries along the route. This strategic arrangement drew praise from dealers, including Alexander Gray from Alexander Gray Associates, who called the configuration “excellent” and noted its benefit to smaller galleries. Gray reported selling Joan Semmel’s 1983 piece “Self-Portrait on the Couch” to a private collector.artnews

Timothy Taylor gallery, positioned strategically ahead of the mega-galleries, sold three large paintings by London-based artist Daniel Crews-Chubb, with prices ranging from £70,000 to £90,000. Gallery director Timothy Taylor observed a “palpable energy in just the first two hours of Frieze London,” noting that “people are arriving with purpose, and they are purchasing”.artnews

Contemporary Art Market Shows Resilience

The strong opening day sales suggest renewed confidence in the contemporary art market. Peter Blum reported selling six pieces by New York artist Rebecca Ward, totaling approximately $125,000, highlighting “strong demand for works that connect formal precision with spiritual practices”. White Cube announced six sales since the fair’s opening, including works by established and emerging artists.artnews

Frieze London 2025 continues through October 19, featuring curated sections including the third year of the Artist-to-Artist initiative, now supported by Tiffany & Co., and the new themed section “Echoes in the Present” curated by Jareh Das. The fair’s Focus section showcases 35 participants from over 20 countries, reinforcing London’s position as a discovery platform for contemporary art.wallpaper