Culture Spy - The shows to visually inspire this fall

Miami Art Week in December, Navigator’s Mike Espindle recommends a couple of incredible fall art fairs to keep you visually inspired and culturally dialed-in.

Frieze London & Frieze Masters

Regent’s Park, London
October 15 -19, 2025

The art world juggernaut that is the Frieze organization counts this October fair as its hallmark art event in the British capital. With the curation of new Frieze Masters director Emanuela Tarizzo, a former London gallery director and independent art advisor, expectations are running high, as always, for the exhibits from 280-plus galleries representing some 45 countries for this year. The public art sector, Frieze Sculpture, runs concurrently with both exhibitions. This year, the Frieze London portion of the happening gathers some 58 prominent London galleries under the umbrella of over 160 venues to bring a bit of locality that points to the city’s cultural landscape and burgeoning prominence in the contemporary art world. Expect popular activations like the artist-led Artist- to-Artist section that pulls focus to a half-dozen solo presentations; the Focus sector that fosters young gallerists and artists; and the accessible Editions sector for newer collectors and fans to make a resounding reappearance this year. Meanwhile, Frieze Masters draws from six millennia of art for its broader palette (which also includes rare antiquities). Over 120 galleries from 26 countries comprise the content for this far-reaching show.

frieze.com/fairs/frieze-london-frieze-masters

Art Basel Paris

Grand Palais, Paris
Previews, October 22-23, 2025
Public days, October 24-26, 2025

Happening right on the heels of Frieze London, Art Basel Paris presents a close-quarters opportunity for a potent one-two art world punch that many collectors take advantage of. Originally dubbed Paris+ par Art Basel, the show thrived in its first year at the iconic Grand Palais in Paris, and for this sophomore year at the location, the importance of this show is now fully recognized. Produced in three artful sectors: Galeries (for the show’s core exhibitors), Emergence (dedicated to new galleries and artists), and Premise (which spotlights an exceptional singular curation), over 203 galleries from over 40 countries will find a flock of fans waiting for them in the City of Light. One highlight not to miss is the staging of the Oh La La! initiative, which encourages creative and thought-provoking re-hangings of exhibited works on the last Friday and Saturday of the show.

artbasel.com/paris