Frieze London loading.. . what not to miss !
Art fairs, museum and gallery shows, new art spaces to see during Frieze week
I’d call this week the “quiet before the storm”—that’s what it should be before Frieze London, but it’s turning out to be quite the opposite. Invitations and meeting requests are still rolling in, and I’m trying to figure out how to fit everything into my schedule for next week. I’m even planning my outfits in advance, day by day, just to save time deciding what to wear for each event.
But, as always, London loves to surprise us with weather that no one can prepare for. I’m fully expecting half of my looks to end up incomplete—sacrificed to rain, wind, or whatever else the city decides to throw at us.
Now, more importantly: beyond the Frieze fairs and their related events, there are so many other openings happening across the city. (It’s impossible to make it to them all.) I’ll probably still be working my way through this list well into October—but maybe you’ll be more efficient next week! The list below isn’t exhaustive, but it highlights what I think are the shows not to miss.
As a bonus, I am also including two new private art spaces that are opening in London ( see the end of this letter). The rise of private art spaces is an interesting theme I would like to expand on in one of my future letters.
I will of course covering Frieze and Frieze Masters and reporting back here as soon as I can and I will also be sharing my Frieze week diary ( you can check my Art Basel 2025 diary).
🎪 ART FAIRS
*besides the obvious - Frieze
PAD London Design
📅 14–19 October
📍 Berkeley Square, Mayfair
I love PAD — it’s one of the most elegant design fairs in London. Expect a beautifully curated mix of collectible design, furniture, jewelry, and fine art. The fair’s scale makes it refreshingly easy to explore.
1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair
📅 16–19 October
📍 Somerset House, Strand
Dedicated to contemporary art from Africa and the global diaspora, 1-54 is a must-see during Frieze Week. It’s vibrant, diverse, and always full of fresh talent and curatorial depth.
ECHO Soho
📅 16–19 October
📍 The Artist’s House, Soho
A new addition to Frieze Week, ECHO Soho is the brainchild of the founder of Soho Revue. This boutique fair highlights female-led galleries and emerging voices in contemporary art.
🖼️ EXHIBITIONS
Kara Walker: From Black and White to Living Colour
📍 Sprüth Magers
🗓️ 4 October – 21 December
Christopher Wool
📍 Gagosian, Grosvenor Hill
🗓️ 13 October – 19 December 2025
Ed Ruscha: Says I, to Myself, Says I
📍 Gagosian, Davies Street
🗓️ 14 October – 19 December 2025
Nicolas Party: Clotho
📍 Hauser & Wirth
🗓️ 14 October – 20 December 2025
Cristina Iglesias: The Shore
📍 Hauser & Wirth
🗓️ 14 October – 20 December 2025
Gus Monday: Three Rooms – Museum, Institution, Gallery
📍 Carl Kostyál Gallery
🗓️ 14 October – 15 November 2025
Lee Miller
📍 Tate Britain
🗓️ 2 October – 15 February
Wayne Thiebaud: American Still Life
📍 The Courtauld Gallery, (Denise Coates Exhibition Galleries, Floor 3)
🗓️ 10 October 2025 – 18 January 2026
Daisy Parris: Kiss The Storm
📍 Royal College of Physicians
🗓️ 14–16 October
Lynette Yiadom-Boakye: A Mind for Moonlight
📍 Corvi-Mora
🗓️ 6 September – 26 October
PRIVATE ART SPACES
Ibraaz
93 Mortimer St
Opening 15th of October
A former gentlemen’s club in central London is being transformed into Ibraaz, a new free cultural space dedicated to art, ideas, and voices from the Global Majority. It will host exhibitions, talks, screenings, and residencies alongside a café, library, and bookshop. Founded by Lina Lazaar and backed by the Kamel Lazaar Foundation, Ibraaz aims to broaden representation in London’s art landscape.
Yan Du Projects
Bedford Square
Opening October
YDP is a new independent, non-profit project space in Bedford Square, London, dedicated to showcasing Asian and Asian diasporic contemporary art. Founded by philanthropist Yan Du, it aims to foster transcultural dialogue through exhibitions, residencies, and artist-led experiments. Housed in a reimagined 18th-century townhouse redesigned with BEAU Architects, YDP serves as a flexible, welcoming hub for exchange, reflection, and creativity across cultures.