Frieze London 2025 opened with VIP day sales reflecting a cautious but resilient market. Gallerists reported solid sales, including Michael Landy's 'Multi-Saint' (2013) sold to the Walker Art Gallery for €125,000, and blue-chip works at Frieze Masters such as René Magritte's 'Le domaine enchanté' (1953) for $1.6m and Gabriele Münter's 'The Blue Garden' (1909) for SFr2.4m ($3m). Dealers noted a shift from speculative frenzy to more considered buying, with collectors taking longer to decide but still investing in quality works. The fair saw strong attendance, including wealthy individuals who had left London due to UK tax changes returning to buy.
This matters because Frieze London serves as a bellwether for the global art market, and the 2025 edition reveals a market recalibrating after a period of overheated speculation. The emphasis on quality over speed, combined with resilience despite post-Brexit economic headwinds and non-dom tax reforms, suggests a maturing market where informed collecting is replacing impulsive buying. The success of younger galleries and Indigenous collectives like Claudia Alarcón & Silät also highlights shifting tastes toward diverse, craft-based works.