Five Works That Stole the Show at Frieze New York

Sarah Sze, Badlands (2026)

Many years ago, I profiled Sarah Sze (b. 1969) for this publication. Digging into her work and personality, I found her to be a bona fide genius—she was later named an actual genius with a MacArthur Grant—but I found myself wondering what it would be like to collect her. The question was answered not long after that year, at the home of collectors Michael and Susan Hort, at the annual party they throw at their Tribeca loft showcasing their collection. Somewhere in an upstairs bedroom, Sze had taken over a linen closet, utilizing thread, light, cotton and, as I recall, some toilet paper to create a miniature universe. Very cool, but sometimes guests are coming over, and you need to replace the hand towels. May I offer you a more practical solution at the Gagosian booth? This remarkable new mixed-media piece remixes photographic elements, as if a tropical getaway were attacked by a torrent of paint. As with all her work, there are conspiratorial lines of plot to follow if you’re looking for that, but I think it’s more fun to relax your eyes and let it wash over you. For me, the overall effect is akin to when a vandal cracks those video advertisement screens in the subway, which is to say it’s terribly beautiful.