The Ellie Project

Frieze Sculpture 2025: First Impressions

This autumn, Regent’s Park once again becomes an open-air gallery as Frieze Sculpture 2025 takes over from 17 September to 2 November. The free exhibition is always a highlight of London’s art calendar, but this year feels different and more ambitious, thanks to a new theme and a thoughtful curatorial approach.

The Theme: In the Shadows

For the first time, Frieze Sculpture has a unifying theme: In the Shadows. Curator Fatoş Üstek invites us to think about shadow not as absence, but as a space of possibility. Somewhere that holds memory, myth, fragility and imagination. Regent’s Park in autumn, with its long afternoons and shifting light, is the perfect backdrop to explore how sculptures live, breathe, and transform in shadow.

Highlights to Look Out For

With fourteen artists on display, there’s plenty to discover, but a few works stood out for me:

• Henrique Oliveira’s twisting wooden installation feels half-tree, half-creature — like nature grown wild in the middle of the park.
• Abdollah Nafisi’s Neighbours balances steel and clay to frame empty space in a way that makes you notice absence as much as presence.
• David Altmejd brings mythic energy with his bronze Nymph 3, a work that seems caught between transformation and stillness.
• And of course, there are contributions from artists including Reena Saini Kallat, Elmgreen & Dragset, and Andy Holden, all bringing their own spin on what it means to work “in the shadows.”

Beyond the sculptures, there’s also a full programme of performances, workshops and activations, so the park itself becomes a stage as much as a gallery.

Join a Curator’s Tour

If you want to go deeper, you can actually join Fatoş Üstek for a curator’s tour on the first and last Sundays of the exhibition. It’s a rare chance to hear directly about her vision for In the Shadows and the threads connecting such a varied group of artists.

Why It’s Worth a Visit

Frieze Sculpture has always been about bringing world-class art into public space, but this year feels more reflective and poetic. The theme gives it an extra layer of meaning, encouraging us to slow down, notice the play of light, and consider what shadows might hold. It’s also part of London Sculpture Week, so it links into a bigger conversation happening across the city.

Whether you wander through on your lunch break, spend an afternoon exploring every piece, or join a tour, Frieze Sculpture 2025 is worth making time for.

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