Frieze London 2025 opened with strong VIP preview sales, as major galleries reported brisk business by early afternoon. Thaddaeus Ropac sold a Robert Rauschenberg work for $850,000 and a Tony Cragg sculpture for $420,000, while Hauser & Wirth moved multiple pieces including a George Rouy for £275,000 and an Ellen Gallagher for $950,000. Gagosian sold a new Lauren Halsey sculpture before noon, and White Cube reported six sales. The fair's layout, which places mega-galleries at the back to encourage foot traffic to smaller booths, returned by popular demand.
The strong sales signal a potential market rebound after months of sluggishness, with dealers expressing optimism about renewed collector confidence. The fair's success underscores London's continued importance as an art market hub and suggests that major international fairs remain vital for high-value transactions. The reported sales also highlight ongoing demand for both blue-chip names like Rauschenberg and Magritte, as well as emerging talents like George Rouy and Lauren Halsey.