Well, the most anticipated art fair in New York is over. With all that fascination and inconvenience to get to the Randall’s Island, with all that buzz, bright art and crowd, it’s over.  And the island is empty again, with an exception of the mental facility, sports fields, and the I-278 above all.

The Frieze pavilion.

Industrial look of the Frieze location, Randall’s Island.

After having become the biggest rival of the Armory Show, Frieze has been bringing a real contemporary feel to New York. This fourth time, the fair looked slightly more commercial than before, and consisted of more the NYC-based galleries though.

The Tanya Bonakdar Gallery at Frieze-2015 (a fragment of the artwork by Susan Philipsz).

A picture can speak a thousand words, and it’s always better to see the art rather than read about art. However, there was something to listen to, consider, and read later: that Jerry Saltz’s Talk, happened on Saturday. Jerry Saltz is the first famous art critic who began traversing the social media jungles and thus became extremely popular, loved and hated at the same time. Here’re our notes from that interview based on the social media questions hashtagged #AskJerrySaltz.

Jerry Saltz and Tom Eccles at Frieze Talks

About the art world and art market:

Art and money had sex in public since they’ve met.

On the role of Kim Kardashian in art (yes):

I don’t care if you like their work, I would say that Kanye is an artist and Kim is this completely self-invented person who might have invented the selfie.

About being banned from Facebook:

Artists (!) were complaining, that they were offended by this imagery. Facebook said you have violated our community standards. I was crushed.

On whether producing the merchandise can “diminish the art” which an artist creates: No! Go for it! Listen to the people of your generation!

On writing and criticism: Say what you think. Write what you think. You can like or dislike things. Say your opinion.

On the role of social media:

1. My first social platform was Facebook…. One day out of nowhere, I saw I had a picture of a Marlene Dumas painting…. I put the picture up and I said why I didn’t like Marlene Dumas. In just three or four sentences. And all hell broke loose. People were tearing me new ones for weeks. I sat at home and I thought this is good. This is a different model of criticism.
2. I like Instagram: you can post pictures without writing much. People write.

On the new Whitney:

What’s inside matters! It doesn’t matter that the building looks like a pharmacy to me: the museums should have space to display art and hold the collection. My concern as an art lover is with art inside of the museums.

Advice to the artists:

1. Make an enemy of jealousy and envy. As fast and soon as you can. It will eat you alive.
2. Redefine your skills so your art becomes personal, yours.

Louise Bourgeois, “The Trauma Colors”

Julieta Aranda, Frieze-2015

Picasso [a closeup]

Martin Soto Climent.

Paul McCarthy // Hauser & Wirth Gallery

Eduardo Berliner

Inside the Frieze pavilion

Artwork: “Little Richard” by Jack Pierson

Xu Zhen, “Under Heaven” [a closeup]. oil, canvas

Xu Zhen, “Under Heaven”, oil, canvas

Eduardo Berliner

Inside the Flux-Labyrinth