This year’s fair was a vital point of connection with institutions and saw a strong response to its Latin American artists and galleries
Frieze New York closed its 15th edition at The Shed in Manhattan on Sunday 17 May, bringing together leading international galleries, major institutional acquisitions and ambitious artist-led presentations during five days of sustained collector engagement. The fair welcomed over 25,000 visitors from 75 countries, who came to see 68 galleries from 26 countries, in a tightly curated selection of works from emerging voices to internationally established artists.
Exhibitors reported strong demand from private collectors, institutions and foundations, with significant placements at all levels of the market. Special acclaim was given to the fair’s strong representation of galleries and artists from Latin America, as well as the Focus section for emerging voices, which welcomed a major new museum acquisition fund this year.
Frieze Projects
Alongside the gallery presentations, Frieze New York featured a programme of performances, installations and artist projects developed in collaboration with leading cultural institutions, including Jonathan González’s performance and photographic installation with the Whitney Museum of American Art, David Lamelas’s collaboration with Dia Art Foundation, and a new commission by Oglála Lakȟóta artist Kite in partnership with Counterpublic.
Acquisition Funds
A defining moment of the 2026 fair was the inaugural Sherman Family Foundation Acquisition Fund, which supported the Brooklyn Museum and the Baltimore Museum of Art. The Brooklyn Museum acquired two works by Bettina from Ulrik, while the Baltimore Museum of Art acquired Both Banks I by Reika Takebayashi from Public Gallery, Destellos, PILLAN SIKILL 1 by Seba Calfuqueo from W–Galería, and Festival 7 by Joanne Burke from Soft Opening. Each participating artist also received a $5,000 award in recognition of their work.
A Career-Defining Moment for Emerging Artists
The fair’s Focus section, curated for the third year by Lumi Tan, supported by Stone Island and dedicated to galleries founded in the last 12 years, saw strong institutional engagement, with several solo presentations attracting museum acquisitions and curatorial attention.
Alongside the inaugural Sherman Family Acquisition Fund, the annual FocusStand Prize at Frieze New York was awarded to Buenos Aires’s W-galería for its solo presentation of Indigenous Chilean artist Seba Calfuqueo. Honourable jury mentions went to London’s Soft Opening for its presentation of work by Joanne Burke and New York’s Gordon Robichaux for its presentation of Deondre Davis. This year’s jury comprised Rita Gonzalez (Los Angeles County Museum of Art), Shamim M. Momin (The Bronx Museum) and Amy Smith-Stewart (The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum).
The jury said: ‘We were so impressed with this year’s Focus section, its global reach, multigenerational representation, diversity of materials and approaches, and substantial content. All this made the selection process challenging. We selected Seba Calfuqueo’s presentation at W—Galería because we were captivated by the vibrancy and depth of the artist’s use of layered, symbolic imagery, synthetic hair, ceramics with rich, metallic lusters, to explore an entanglement of personal feeling and indigenous legacy that counters colonial erasure with a celebration of Mapuche identity.”
Celebrating Latin American Art
Latin American participation was a notable feature, with 14 of the 68 galleries rooted in the region, presenting works by artists from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Mexico, among others.
Eight Brazilian galleries participated with support from non-profit Latitude, and this year’s selection committee welcomed Fátima González (Campeche, Mexico City) and Omayra Alvarado-Jensen (Instituto de Visión, Bogotá). Participating galleries included Fortes D’Aloia & Gabriel, A Gentil Carioca, Almeida & Dale, Kurimanzutto, Mendes Wood DM, Mitre Galeria, Campeche, Isla Flotante, Instituto de Visión and W-galería.
Sales highlights included Nara Roesler‘s sale of a work titled Seeds VII (2025–26) by Marcelo Silveira for $45,000 and five works by Jonathas de Andrade ranging from $12,000 to $22,000.
Daniel Roesler, senior director and partner, said: ‘Nara Roesler was grateful to participate in Frieze New York, especially given the focus on Latin American galleries. Our booth was exceptionally successful and exceeded our expectations.’
Other sales highlights included Mitre Galeria’s sold nine works by Wallace Pato, Pedro Neves and Manauara Clandestina, priced between $5,000 and $36,000; and Almeida & Dale and François Ghebaly nearly sold out their joint stand, including a work by Jaider Esbell for $180,000, a painting by Amadeo Luciano Lorenzato at $115,000, a Tony Matelli for $90,000, a work by Melike Kara for $43,000, a painting by Patricia Iglesias Peco for $35,000, and several works by Maia Ruth Lee and Maxwell Alexandre for $25,000 each.
Sales Highlights and Gallery Responses
Solo and dual presentations garnered strong interest, including James Cohan‘s sold out its booth, placing all eight paintings from its solo presentation of Kelly Sinnapah Mary, with The Sacred Garden (2026) leading at $130,000 and additional works priced from $20,000 to $95,000.
Ortuzar Projects and Marc Selwyn Fine Art’s joint presentation of Akinsanya Kambon, which nearly sold out with nine works placed in the $25,000 to $55,000 range; Pace Gallery selling numerous works from its dual presentation of Maya Lin and Leo Villareal in the range of $100,000 to $200,000; while Night Gallery sold seven paintings by Hayley Barker priced between $30,000 and $175,000 and Hales sold the centerpiece of its solo presentation by Virginia Jaramillo for $540,000.
On the opening day of the fair, White Cube sold two major works by El Anatsui: LuwVor I (2025) for $2.2 million and MivEvi III (2025) for $1.9 million, alongside Antony Gormley’s SET VII (2024) for £450,000, Howardena Pindell’s Deep Space #4 (2025) for $275,000 and Marina Rheingantz’s Salvador (2026) for $250,000, as well as works by Marguerite Humeau, Sara Flores, Emmi Whitehorse, Danica Lundy, Louise Giovanelli and Julie Curtiss.
‘We had an incredibly strong week,’ Jessie Washburne-Harris, White Cube’s global director, US, said.
‘For collectors of contemporary art, Frieze remains essential. We saw an exceptional response to Sara Flores, who is currently representing Peru at the Venice Biennale. We welcomed strong institutional interest from New York-based museums and across the country.’
Thaddaeus Ropac also saw early success selling Georg Baselitz’s Stunde der Nachtigall (2012) for €1.4 million and Ohne Titel (2025) for €85,000, Robert Rauschenberg’s Bob Song (Salvage) (1984) for $825,000 and Alex Katz’s Black Roses 3 (2025) for $600,000, plus works by Martha Jungwirth and Joan Snyder. Ropac commented: ‘There’s great energy this week in New York. Collectors are really focused and decisions and sales have been swift.’
Almine Rech placed a major work by James Turrell in the range of $900,000 to $1 million. ‘Rejoining the New York fair after several years, we could not be happier with the response,’ said Ethan Buchsbaum, partner at Almine Rech. ‘The demand is there. The majority of our sales were to new clients, which made the fair feel especially productive.’
Gagosian reported sales across multiple artists from its roster, including Derrick Adams, Helen Frankenthaler, Gerhard Richter, Adriana Varejão, Stanley Whitney and Francesca Woodman.
Kukje Gallery sold two works by Ha Chong-Hyun in the ranges of $390,000 to $468,000 and $10,000 to $12,000, respectively, alongside works by Kibong Rhee, Kyungah Ham, Ugo Rondinone and Julian Opie priced between £45,000 and $108,000, plus sculptures by Gimhongsok and Jean-Michel Othoniel. Hyun-Sook Lee, Kukje Gallery’s founder and chairperson, observed: ‘Frieze New York was filled with vibrant energy. We enjoyed a great response from collectors, reaffirming the gallery’s competitive edge in New York, the hub of the global art market.’
Tina Kim Gallery sold two paintings by Ha Chong-Hyung, for $390,000 and $180,000, a Kim Tschang-Yeul painting in the range of $120,000 to $140,000, a painting by Kibong Rhee in the range of $120,000 to $130,000, two textile works by Lee ShinJa, one ranging between $90,000 to $100,000, and a second between $40,000 to $50,000 and additional works by Maia Ruth Lee, Livien Yin, Lee ShinJa, Suki Seokyeong Kang, Davide Balliano, Pio Abad and Jane Yang D’Haene at prices ranging from $20,000 to $80,000.
Johyun Gallery sold out its focused presentation of works by Lee Bae, ranging from $100,000 to $250,000, with additional sales including a work by Kishio Suga at $40,000 to $50,000, five paintings by Kim Taek Sang priced from $10,000 to $60,000, and a work on paper by Hwang Jihae in the range of $30,000 to $50,000.
303 Gallery sold Terra by Doug Aitken for $225,000, two works by Rob Pruitt at $150,000 and $80,000, six works by Sam Falls including the ceramic diptych for $150,000, a painting at $110,000, a ceramic table at $90,000, a ceramic vase for $65,000, a painting by Sue Williams for $115,000, three sculptures by Jeppe Hein, one for €90,000, and two for $85,000, and additional works by Rob Pruitt, Stephen Shore, Alicja Kwade and Doug Aitken at prices ranging from $15,000 to $150,000.
Lisa Spellman, owner and director of 303 Gallery commented: ‘Frieze has been beyond expectations this year, bringing museums and trustees from all over the world. We especially loved the Met Patrons preview. It’s been a wild fair with strong sales throughout!’
Southern Guild placed numerous works by Lebohang Kganye, Amine El Gotaibi, Mmangaliso Nzuza, Patrick Bongoy, Usha Seejarim and Chidy Wayne, with prices ranging from $20,000 to $38,000.
Gallery co-founder Trevyn McGowan said: ‘Frieze New York 2026 marked an especially exciting moment for Southern Guild following the opening of our Tribeca space. We saw strong engagement from collectors and institutions.’
Celebrity Attendees
The fair welcomed figures from the worlds of literature, entertainment, fashion, technology and sport, including Elizabeth Banks, Ciara, Anderson Cooper, Misty Copeland, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Dillon, A$AP Ferg, Julia Fox, Danny Goldberg, Daniel Dae Kim, Bette Midler, Norman Reedus, Michael Stipe, Sharon Stone and Kelly Wearstler.
Artists in attendance included Seba Calfuqueo, Jane Dickson, Thomas Dozol, Genevieve Gaignard, Jonathan González, Neil Hamamoto, Jungjin Lee, Timothy Hull, Hee Jung Lee, Tony Lewis, Maya Lin, Lee Mary Manning, Antoni Miralda, Marianna Simnett, Kelly Sinnapah Mary, Leo Villareal, Emma Webster, Christopher Williams and Dustin Yellin.
Frieze Week
Frieze led a significant week for New York’s cultural calendar, alongside major gallery openings, museum exhibitions and satellite fairs. As leading galleries, collectors, curators and institutions from around the world convened in New York, the week reinforced the city’s position as the centre of the international art world.
‘The 2026 edition of Frieze New York marked an important new chapter in the fair’s relationship with museums and public collections,’ said Frieze’s director of Americas, Christine Messineo. ‘Through the inaugural Sherman Family Foundation Frieze New York Acquisitions Fund, works by four artists entered major US museum collections, while programming collaborations with Counterpublic, Dia Art Foundation and the Whitney Museum of American Art reflected the depth of curatorial engagement across the week. Galleries reported significant sales across both emerging and established practices, with strong demand from leading private collectors, major museums and foundations.’
Frieze New York is presented with Global Lead Partner Deutsche Bank, reflecting a shared commitment to artistic excellence for more than 20 years.