HOST INTRO 1: The Frieze Art Fair is back in New York City for its 12th season. This year, the art fair will be at ‘The Shed’ by Hudson Yards.
HOST INTRO 2: Galleries will exhibit their work in hopes of selling them to buyers. But you can also go just to appreciate the art! Uptown Radio’s Cristina Macaya visits Frieze to see how they’re shaking up the art world.
MACAYA 1 It’s day two of Frieze New York and art lovers are flocking to ‘The Shed.’ The art fair's new venue since abandoning their world famous tent on Randall's Island.
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It’s just a quick walk from Chelsea’s gallery scene. And a long line of well-dressed visitors are walking in. They’re a bit early
SCENE
Frieze New York will open in 15 minutes!
MACAYA 2 This year’s gallery is a little bit different from the previous ones. The new director, Christine Messio, has partnered with Vote. org to encourage visitors to exercise their right to vote. And ahead of this year’s presidential election, Frieze is making sure people are registered to vote. And they’re doing it with QR codes on water bottles.
JOHNSON 1
I think that these are like metal recyclable cans.
MACAYA 3 That was Danielle Johnson. She’s running the Vote.org stand on the top floor of the Frieze Art Fair. She explains why the metal water bottles say Banned in black bold letters.
JOHNSON 2
After the 2020 election the state legislation in Georgia banned passing out food and water to voters who were waiting in line for the polls. So we named them banned just to kind of take back the word and shed light on voter suppression.
MACAYA 4 When scanned, the QR codes takes you to the “plan your vote” site. Which reads “It is absurd that we can give away water bottles at an art fair… but not to people waiting in long lines to vote.” Which is a clear reference to the ban in Georgia in 2020. The site also provides information about registering to vote and getting absentee ballots.
JOHNSON 3
Stuff about state legislation, library registration, and just trying to make sure everybody is well educated about what's going on.
MACAYA 5 But in typical art fair fashion…
JOHNSON 4
A lot of people came and asked questions. People ask me like, is this an art piece? And I was like, well, if you interpret it that way, I guess it could be.
MACAYA 6 But people aren’t just excited about the art. They’re also happy to come to ‘The Shed’!
ABROAL 1
It was easier to get to than Randall's Island. I love this space. so I'm curious to see how they've used it. I think it will be laid out really nicely. Everything they do here is done very intentionally and creatively, so I'm excited.
MACAYA 7 Debroah Abroal came to the Frieze fair last year, and thinks the new Manhattan location has its benefits!
ABROAL 2
I think it allows for a bit more creativity. Breaking it up can help with the monotony sometimes of seeing so many rooms back to back.
MACAYA 8 And Mauro Bonacina, who came yesterday to the fair’s invitation-only premier, agrees.
BONACINA 1
I think it's much more convenient. It was incredibly annoying to get there and back and the shed is, I guess, much more intimate. I'm excited to see the changes that galleries have done overnight. And then to see something that I didn't see yesterday.
MACAYA 9 Bonacina is a London-based gallerist. Unlike Deborah he’s here for some business.
BONACINA 2
I won't be buying anything today. I'm stealing something if I can.
MACAYA 10 Can we blame him? These works are going for millions of dollars. Unfortunately for Mauro, Ken Vargas is on the scene… he’s been working security for Frieze for the last 12 years.
VARGAS 1
The art. Well, um, try to protect the art for the artists as best as we can. That's the main concern.
MACAYA 11 His advice for first timers?
VARGAS 2
Keep your mind opened. Walk around and enjoy and just be open.
MACAYA 12 As of today, Frieze New York is open to the public until May 5th!
Cristina Macaya, Uptown Radio News