The inaugural London Invitational is bringing galleries and collectors together in a more personal setting: 13 suites at The Chancery Rosewood in Mayfair, transformed into exhibition spaces for the fair.
Founded by British-born, Dallas-based dealer James Cope, the event runs alongside Frieze Week and extends the Dallas Invitational concept to London. Its hotel-suite format is designed to encourage slower conversations between dealers, collectors and curators, while letting visitors consider how artworks might feel in a domestic environment.
A broad welcome for collectors
Participating galleries and dealers are presenting work by emerging and established artists, with prices spanning accessible entry points and higher-value pieces. Marinaro Gallery, for instance, chose to show works priced below $10,000, while other exhibitors brought a wider range of offerings.
Dealers described interest from younger collectors, including people working in technology and film, alongside experienced buyers. The fair also gives independent dealers without permanent gallery spaces an opportunity to introduce artists to new audiences.
Cope sees the event as a chance to make art-fair visits more human and community-focused, with success measured not only in sales but also in the quality of visitors' conversations and experience. As collectors take a more considered approach, the London Invitational's intimate format points toward new ways for art fairs to connect audiences with artists and their work.
