ART
PAD & Frieze Week London 2025: Key Highlights and Art Concepts
BY VANESA KRIZONYTE
Frieze Week 2025 transported us back to a conversation on the conditions in which we view art with Glen Hardwick-Bruce, the former Education Director of Christie’s. Whilst navigating multiple fairs and hundreds of artworks we recalled Bruce’s suggestion, “When you get in front of an artwork, do not just look at it and move on to the next one, you need to stand there for at least three minutes.” A single week during London Frieze Week delivers more art than the eye and soul can digest. It is a cultural stimulation and enhancement to existing collections. The problem lies in over-saturation, and not all artists receive the spotlight they deserve because no one pauses at each artwork the way Bruce advises. An admiration for a work begins from an inner-rooted connection or individual art orientation. We share our top finds from multiple London fairs and talks, in case you did not pause in front of the innovators.
The London PAD Fair returned to Berkeley Square for the 17th edition. Featuring a presentation of outstanding pieces under one roof, spanning from rare historical collectibles to cutting-edge contemporary creations. PAD offers a unique opportunity to collect the master of yesterday and tomorrow. At Gallery BR, surrounded by formidable pieces from modernism masters, such as the Aile d’Avion desk by star designer Jean Prouvé. Yet our attention was caught by the soulful artwork hanging by Jordi Alcaraz. In a strike, our body stood parallel to El naixement d’un dibuix, a canvas of grease pencil, resin on methacrylate, and bloating paper. To an outsider, the value of abstract art is complex to comprehend, but Alcaraz’s three-dimensional canvas depth opens the imagination. To us, the artwork is the most beautiful perfection of chaos. Every tear, grease, and poking through the paper is greeted with black pencil marks, all mathematically calculated by Alcaraz. He challenges the perception of space and reality as the unfinished sense is a passage of time. The artwork shared with us our philosophy of living life in a goal-oriented yet free-spirited navigation. In essence, art is fluid, ever-changing, and deeply immersive to the individual’s story. The praise for Alcaraz lies in the one-off existence. The artwork can not be replicated, and not by Alcaraz himself. Captivatingly, each viewer’s takeaway shifts as lighting and context alter the artwork’s aura. We experienced the work in a low-lit showroom, but if you were to enter Gallery BR, direct sunlight would highlight the raw tears and fragility of the artwork.
In general, PAD Fair leans more towards design objects. The Booroom Gallery premieres designs combining respect for natural materials and astonishing technical skills. The collection is curated to reflect their mission of giving new relevance to historic design objects by juxtaposing them with pioneering contemporary practice. The kiln-formed glass table from the designer Ksenia Breivo Bijoux collection takes inspiration from George Balanchine 1960s ballet. A captivating point for understanding the way natural glass materiality can evoke dance choreography within furniture. Following our visit, we discovered the Booroom music playlists carrying positive creative weight. Booroom shared, music is integral in creating a harmonious atmosphere as another facet of art. It allows you to immerse yourself in a new experience through emotions and provides subtle shifts in perception.
A chair is supposed to serve a function and design, but what is the right balance between the two? In the Nilufar showroom set against a purple carpet, shimmering lights and leopard print touches we witnessed the historic Walter & Moretti Armchair Cobra. Finished in an aluminum structure and pink fabric. The distinctive shade of pink carries a feminine and airy feeling. This chair requires participation. Upon sitting in the chair, the mechanism bounces, moving in harmony with the user. A strong credit in engineering while serving all functions of a chair.
Ha Chong-Hyun’s, represented by the Kukje Gallery at Frieze Fair, put forward a pioneering modernist. The artwork Conjunction 22-88 is a material exploration. Establishing an innovative method, where he applies thick oil paint and pushes pigment to the front of the surface through the coarse weave, a process known as bae-ap-bub. With centralised red paint dripping down the canvas, overpowering the background. As an artist who became active in the post-war period, his choice of hemp cloth and barbed wire reflected the historical context of the time, as these were the available materials. The artist commits to questioning the definition of painting and offers great escapism.
Gratitude to Alix Roché for PAD London 2025 Press Accreditation. Thank you to representatives of Gallery BR, Booroom Gallery, Nilufar and Kukje Gallery for the warm hosting and press materials. Thank you to the Photographers mentioned. Deepest gratitude to the partners and PAD committee for PAD London Design 17th edition.
Gratitude to Kukje Gallery at Frieze 2025 for sharing artist Ha Chong-Hyun.
Listen to: Booroom Gallery Playlists
