London’s Tate Gallery was busy during its first VIP day at Frieze on Wednesday, after the gallery unveiled three new works by female artists for its collection.
They are ceramic and wooden sculptures by Tanzanian, London-based artist Lubna Chowdhary titled assembly (2025), acquired from Jhaveri Contemporary. Continuation on paper, charcoal and pastel, titled End of Event II (2025) by British artist Barabra Walker, from Victoria Miro. and Untitled (Venus Midheaven) (1920-30), ink painting by the late British artist Madge Gill, auctioned by Frieze Masters The Gallery of Everything.
The works were purchased through the Frieze Tate Fund, provided by the fair’s previous owner Endeavor, totaling £150,000. (Ariel Emanuel completed the acquisition of Frieze earlier this month through his newly formed company, now called Mari, which includes its eponymous publication, seven art fairs around the world and two exhibition spaces.) This is the tenth consecutive year that the Tate has purchased art at fairs through the fund.
Since Frieze London first took place in 2003, the Tate has acquired more than 170 works by more than 100 artists at the show. “The works have since been seen by millions of visitors across Tate’s four galleries and shared with museums and galleries across the UK and beyond,” the museum said in a statement.
Maria Balshaw, Director of the Tate Gallery, said: “We are delighted that Frieze Tate’s generous philanthropic support is continuing this year, allowing us to enrich the Tate Collection with these outstanding works. “I know they will make a wonderful addition to our galleries and I look forward to being able to share them with the public in the coming years.”
This year’s Frieze Tate Fund selection panel is led by Gregor Muir (Director of Collections, Tate) and includes Dominic Hayes Moore (Senior Curator of British Contemporary Art), Nicoletta Lambertsch (Curator of British Modern and Contemporary Art) and Valentin Umanski (Curator of International Art).
At last year’s fair, the Tate acquired works by Naminapu Maymuru-White, Mohammed Z. Rahman and Eva Švankmajerová.
