Our Favourites from Frieze Week 2025

Written by Joshua Beutum & Lauren Bulla

FRIEZE LONDON

Katherine McMahon, ‘Open Late’ at God’s Own Junkyard

For The COLD Magazine, our Frieze Week started early with the opening of Katherine McMahon’s solo show at God’s Own Junkyard on October 10. There, surrounded by a thousand neon signs salvaged from epochs as far-ranging as Soho’s infamous sex scene and 1970s Hollywood, a very fitting collection of paintings was on display. For McMahon, Open Late nods to one of the defining images of the twentieth century: the neon sign — its sensuality, commerciality, and hedonism. Her paintings recall the transformation of mainstream objects into cultural artefacts in what amounts to a critique and embodiment of consumption.

Michelé Lamy and Rick Owens’s ‘Rust Never Sleeps’ at Carpenters Workshop Gallery London

What’s more emblematic of Frieze Week than an ultra-exclusive party hosted by Michele Lamy and Rick Owens? In Rust Never Sleeps — an extension of their darkly hedonistic sartorial language — the couple has created some equally impressive home décor. Inspired by London’s brutalist architecture, Lamy and Owens treat audiences to a pile of moose antlers, a crocodile-leather sofa, and a colossal bed designed to house far more than two. Be sure to stop by Lamy’s red-lit bar around the corner. ‘Rust Never Sleeps’ is open until 14 February 2026.

Josh Smith’s ‘The Final Empire’ at David Zwirner Gallery

Okay, we’ve finally made it into the fair. Amidst David Zwirner’s impressive array of photographs from Wolfgang Tillmans, spectral paintings by Huma Bhabha, and Frank Walter’s landscapes, Josh Smith stopped us dead in our tracks. In ‘The Final Empire’ (2025), a pair of Grim Reapers are loose in New York City, biking across a green-tinged skyline dotted with familiar skyscrapers. I wonder, Are they on a highway to hell, or are they looking for a spare phone charger among the crowds?

Enrique López Llamas at LLANO Gallery

What’s a better representation of the dizzying side effects of Frieze London than a collection of sculptural works that make you question reality (one born of repetition and failure, no less). Enrique López Llamas’s series, ‘el otro protagonista de la noche’ (the other protagonist of the night) did just that. Immediately, we were enveloped into a world playing into humour as expertly as it nodded to conversations about the distinct irony of performing adulthood.

Whether a pair of kicking legs emerging from the wall entitled Boys Boys Boysssssss’ or daffodils shooting directly out of a pair of cheeks named Narcissus, the works begged viewers to question what it means to fluctuate between ‘main character’ and ‘imposter syndrome’. Guests also bore witness to rock-hard pillows littered with various fruits, a clear nod to sexual organs, while a glowing screen affixed to the back wall presented a video of the artist repeatedly jamming his fingers in the back of his throat, inducing vomiting.

Glen Pudvine at Xxijra Hii Gallery

Gym Bros, look out! We’ve spotted a bench and some kettlebells. No, this isn’t a collab with Third Space or Anytime Fitness — it’s Glen Pudvine’s sexually-charged takeover of Xxijra Hii Gallery. A rumination on masculinity, self-image, and gym culture, Pudvine paints his subjects nude — with white socks, of course. Sweaty, veiny, and surrounded by gym gear, they’re an NSFW highlight.

Anna Ruth at Grimm Gallery

Walking past the Grimm Gallery, ghosts and freaky little moths drew the eye. Here, Anna Ruth’s ghoulish paintings called for pause In Final Form (2024) and Final Form II (2025), apparition-like subjects beckoned us closer, the near-human forms therein felt aware of something we couldn’t quite place. Cascading curtains, fluttering insects, and disconcerted faces impressed themselves across the scene.

Do Hu Suh at Lehmann Maupin Gallery

Not too far from the call of Anna Ruth’s works was a focused exhibition by artist Do Hu Suh. This series presented a textiles-focused collection. Fabric works were hollow but three-dimensional. A seemingly endless arrangement of colorful doorknobs extended outward, and we were almost tempted to grab hold — just to see if they would open somewhere else. On display by Lehmann Maupin Gallery, Do Hu Suh questions permanence and forward movement, ushering guests to step inside an entire existence — as out-of-touch as it may remain.

FRIEZE MASTERS

We (Almost) Saw Tracey Emin

Walking into Frieze Masters, we made a quick pit stop to say hello to Penelope, our Fashion Editor and Frieze’s rep at the VIP ticket booth. She alerted us that Tracey Emin was about to present a talk. Despite our best efforts to dash over at the last second, inevitably, we would end up missing it. Though this was not until a last ditch effort to skip the bloated queue, telling a very stressed looking attendant that “We’re PRESS if that makes a difference…” But, alas, so was everyone else.

Glenn Brown at Gagosian Gallery

The spellbinding works by Glenn Brown were one of many standout collections on display at the Gagosian’s booth. We saw them after initially entering the fair – but considering our strict row-by-row route, we delayed entering until we naturally came across it later in the early evening. Brown’s works exist somewhere between dream and death, tactile and otherworldly. With measured brushstrokes, we entered a surrealist landscape of familiar subject like trees in So We Drove on Towards Death in the Cooling Twilight and faces like Low Hanging Fruit and The Secret Doctrine / Portrait of Madame Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, all of them a reflection of Brown’s distinct and awe-striking uncaniness.

Berlinde De Buyckere at Galleria Continua

Somewhat disgruntled by a pack of art dealers that wanted absolutely nothing to do with our Gen-Z(ish) arses, we were pleasantly surprised to be warmly welcomed by the team at Galleria Continua. Walking into the booth, our intrigue was immediately piqued by Berlinde De Buyckere’s gripping works. Upon closer inspection of a cot-like structure covered in layers of blankets, we found distinct holes leading to the base of the bed. Touching on notions of warmth and struggle, these pinpoints of human existence were held in place by commonplace textiles.

Anju Dodiya at Vadehra Art Gallery

After pausing to Google where we would be stopping for dinner that evening, another enchanting collection captured our attention: Ancestral Log by Anju Dodiya. The mixed-medium artworks were charcoal and pastel, grafted onto paper and fabric. Throughout the gallery space, vast paintings sprawled across the main back wall, while a series of smaller works could be found around the corner. The imagery in these pieces depicted a juxtaposition of mundanity and the spiritual, or otherworldly — as they combine in passing moments. Often featuring feminine protagonists, these works were powerful. The process of creation became part of the narrative, as if “creation” personified, were a character to be revealed as well.

To Oranj — by Managing Editor, Lily-Rose Moris-Zumin

Just off Brick Lane, Oranj Wine has landed on Dray Walk in a bigger, brighter space. The walls are lined with works by Argentinian artist Constanza Pulit, whose prints and photography explore memory, identity, and constructed reality, a fitting foil to a menu rooted in European flavors but infused with the creativity of chef Yuto Fujimoto’s residencies.

Warmed by the restaurant’s signature orange lighting, we are met by the sound of jazz and dinner by flickering candlelight — always a winning culinary combination.

The meal began with anchovies, sharp, salty, and elevated by garlic oil. The steak was medium-rare, thick, and served with a rich bone marrow sauce, while the lamb shoulder practically fell off the bone. But the real star of the savory plates was the grilled oyster mushrooms: meaty, flavorful, and surprisingly memorable for a devoted steak fan.

We tried Le Chai Volant’s Levre Voile 2024 and a Roussillon blend of Grenache Blanc and Grenache Gris, two orange wines at the waiter’s suggestion. Slightly cloudy, citrusy, and lively, they paired effortlessly with the food and encouraged slow, relaxed dining. A chilled red (Grolleau) rounded out the experience perfectly.

Dessert was a crème brûlée ice cream with a crisp sugar crust that I broke with my spoon in the traditional manner. I’d never considered a crème brûlée ice cream before, but this modern twist on a classic has stuck with me.

From start to finish, it’s confident cooking in a charming setting. Oranj is already staking a claim as one of Shoreditch’s small plates and natural wine bar hot spots.

The London EDITION x Sadie Coles Was the Place to Be on Friday Night

Can you tell we like to party? As the week closed, we found ourselves in the basement of the London EDITION for a party hosted by none other than Sadie Coles. There, we rubbed shoulders with the who’s-who of London’s art scene: everyone from Caroline Polachek to our favourite rave girlies, Opia, and superstar curator Daniel Lismore. Fear not! An open bar from the kind people over at Grey Goose and Uncommon Wines kept the drinks running all night long. See you next year, Frieze — it’s been a real one!