Frieze Art Week

Skimming the surface is about all you can do in this 'must do' onslaugt of Art. Whilst a democracy of diferent stand points and lines of enquiry is seemingly apparent, arguably far more so than in other human/world negotiation systems such  as politics, religion or science; chaos ensues in a blur of overstimulus. To take on and learn an artist requires commitent, space and time. Here, none of these luxuries are available. Each shift in attention requires a fresh pair of shoes. Only artists you are already up to speed with are coherent in the time you permit attention in this ocean of endeavour. This is why I find it a poor introduction for any new artist. Each snippet from diverging artists dialogues washes over as the previous goes un opened. The devoted may find more than me through background knowledge. The democracy is undermined by the sense of competition, the need to be shown or forgotten throws out ill considered works. Loudness becomes prime, subtelty lost. Each poorly translated chunk of European philosophy I read further ridicules works unable to stand alone, free of catalogue deconstruction. The poverty of language that is endemic must rise to the quality of serious writing as the purely visual must equal other material culture. Work that does not succeed visually is not helped by weak philosophy. Perhaps from this maelstrom of imagery and thought, only the visual can succeed; there is no space for reflection. Yet amongst this party where all must be, quiet moments happen. I can't help but feel that the sense of democracy first felt lies more in a lack of meritocracy, a lottery to be brutal.