Art, Light and Legacy — My Day at Frieze Masters London

By Irina Fedotova

London in October always feels charged with creative energy — that particular mix of soft autumn light and anticipation that fills Regent’s Park each year as the art world gathers for Frieze Masters. The air is calmer than at its contemporary counterpart across the park; here, beauty whispers rather than shouts.

This year, I was invited to the pre-opening of Frieze Masters, an event I never miss. I arrived just after eleven, the morning light filtering through the white tents, the atmosphere already alive with quiet excitement. I later learned there had been a private collectors’ cocktail the evening before — which I sadly missed, though I’m already planning for next year.

Of course, my first stop was October Gallery, one of my favourite galleries in Bloomsbury. I’ve been a loyal collector of Kenji Yoshida for many years, and this year the gallery represented him at Frieze for the very first time. Born in Osaka in 1924, Yoshida survived kamikaze pilot training during the war and later moved to Paris in 1964, where he worked at Atelier 17. His luminous paintings — layered with gold and silver leaf — blend Japanese spirituality with Western abstraction. Each piece, titled La Vie (“Life”), is a meditation on survival, light, and peace.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenji_Yoshida

Last year, October Gallery’s spotlight was on El Anatsui, the Ghanaian sculptor whose monumental installation Behind the Red Moon transformed Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall into a sea of shimmering metal. Made from thousands of recycled bottle tops and copper wire, the piece spoke of transformation, connection, and human resilience. El Anatsui was the star of last year’s Frieze — and remains one of my favourite living artists — but this year, it was truly Kenji Yoshida’s quiet radiance that defined the fair.

Another highlight of the day was discovering Marina Apollonio, presented by 10 A.M. ART from Milan. Her Op Artcompositions — rhythmic, geometric, and alive with movement — seemed to shift and breathe with the light. Apollonio, born in Trieste in 1940, is one of the leading figures in Italian Op Art and Kinetic Art. Since the 1960s, she has explored perception and rhythm through her metallic reliefs and optical forms — works that feel both precise and deeply poetic.

https://octobergallery.co.uk

10 A.M. ART, founded by Bianca Maria Menichini and Christian Akrivos, curates artists who explore perception, light, and motion. Their booth at Frieze Masters felt like a dialogue between mathematics and emotion — a balance of intellect and beauty that deeply resonated with me.

Another memorable discovery was the presentation by Bowman Sculpture, led by Mica Bowman, whose curatorial eye and expertise in bronze brought a sense of quiet power to the fair. Their stand offered a sculptural journey stretching from the nineteenth century to today, with each work reflecting a mastery of form and feeling.

https://www.10amart.it

I was especially drawn to Leopard Sleeping in a Tree by Dylan Lewis (South Africa, 1964) — a breathtaking bronze where the energy of the artist’s hand seemed imprinted into every contour. Its poise and stillness instantly reminded me of my own feline muse, Belgravia’s most elegant Mr Fox.

Under Mica’s direction, Bowman Sculpture continues to connect historic excellence with contemporary relevance. As the world’s leading gallery for Auguste Rodin, their reputation for integrity, scholarship, and timeless beauty perfectly embodies what makes Frieze Masters so special — the seamless meeting of legacy and the present moment.

https://www.instagram.com/bowmansculpture

Standing there, surrounded by light, geometry, sculpture, and the quiet hum of conversation, I felt reminded of why I return to Frieze Masters each year. It isn’t only about art history — it’s about rediscovery, reflection, and the moments when past and present quietly meet, reminding us that true beauty doesn’t need to announce itself.

https://www.frieze.com/fairs/frieze-masters

Speaking with the team from Frieze, I also learned about several exciting new artists I’d love to explore further — potential collaborators for Mystique 55 in the future. Standing before these extraordinary works — Yoshida’s luminous serenity, Anatsui’s rhythmic power, Apollonio’s kinetic geometry, and Lewis’s sculptural grace — I was reminded why I attend.

Frieze Masters is not only a celebration of art, but of vision — where heritage and innovation merge, and where every encounter has the power to inspire new beginnings.