What To See, Eat & Wear At Frieze – The Arts Club Guide

Frieze week is finally upon us. The country’s biggest and buzziest art fair, Frieze Masters and its contemporary sibling Frieze London return to Regent’s Park from 14–18 October. But with the world’s collectors and connoisseurs en route to the capital, Frieze is far from the only art event on this month’s culture calendar. 

At the centre of London’s creative crowd sits The Arts Club. Founded in 1863, the private members’ club is one of the oldest in the city. Once little more than a site for like-minded artists to gather and discuss ideas, these days it boasts three restaurants, a nightclub, cigar lounge, eight hotel rooms, a Dubai base, and an enviable retinue of events and exhibits. Who better, then, to advise us on this upcoming season than its director of membership and business development, Meher Samara Waney?

When Meher’s family took over the club in 2011, they were keen to carry forward its rich legacy while breaking down the barriers to art. ‘So many people love art but don’t necessarily have the knowledge or the confidence to engage with it,’ says Meher, ‘and I wanted to help bridge that gap. A big part of my role is creating opportunities for members to meet artists, curators and established voices in the art world in a more intimate, informal setting.’ With London’s busiest art week finally here, Meher shares her top tips for what to sea, eat, do and wear.

Interview: Meher Samara Waney

I Love This Time Of Year Because… 

There’s so much going on, not just at the fairs but across the whole city: exhibitions, gallery openings, dinners, events. It’s a chance to catch up with people and meet interesting new faces, and you discover artists you might not otherwise come across. There’s never a shortage of things to do, and you never quite manage to fit everything in, so you just have to pick and go with it.

During Frieze, The Arts Club Is Running Two Special Evenings…

The first is with Vikram Goyal, an incredibly talented designer who brings together traditional craftsmanship and contemporary design. He’s shown at PAD for the last two years and has taken over a space on Grafton Street. He makes beautiful sculptural furniture and objets d’art inspired by the Ramayana, one of India’s great ancient epics, and I love how he brings those stories to life in a contemporary way. The evening will be a cultural salon on Grafton Street, hosted by Gianluca Longo with Martina Mondadori and Alidad, bringing together people from art, design and business. I’m from India, so I’m especially excited that we’re showcasing Vikram.

The second is a celebration of Vivien Zhang, whom we’re exhibiting in the Ante Room: a dinner for a small, curated group from across different industries, held in the space and surrounded by her work. With our latest exhibitions I wanted to push the boundaries of what that could look like. Prior to our recent exhibit with Mandy El-Sayegh, we’d never before given an artist full rein over a whole space. We’re always looking for new ways for culture to be experienced and lived, not just displayed.

If I’m Visiting London I’d Stay At… 

I’m going to be biased: the Arts Club. And I’m not just saying that. Four years ago I couldn’t get into my apartment because the lift was out, so I stayed at the club for a week and a half, and it was the best week and a half. We have eight rooms, including suites, and they’re open to non-members with a referral. Besides being perfectly placed for Frieze Week, the stay is special because you’re immersed in the life of the club: the programming, the food, the music. I love the details too. Our permanent collection runs through the hotel, and there are lovely old-school British touches like the old British phones, Art Deco-inspired interiors and wonderfully soft sheets.

I’d Dine At…

Aside from the club, there’s Dover Street Counter, on our street. I’m a stickler for great lighting and a lovely crowd, and it ticks every box. The head chef was previously head chef at Roka, so the food is very good. I’m also a big fan of the Fat Badger in Notting Hill. The Public House Group has found a real niche with these super-cool gastropubs, with great food and a great crowd. I love that they play country music, and that it’s a real mix of people. I’m all about not having just one type of crowd.

The Bar To Go To… 

I love a good martini, and there’s a new martini bar on Bruton Place called Brutes, right next to the Guinea Grill. It’s tiny, and they’ve invested in an incredible sound system, so even when the music’s loud you can hear the conversation perfectly and you’re not shouting. Every time I’ve been it’s been busy, with a fantastic team, great music and a lovely crowd. I’d also suggest Bobby’s, the bar next to Nick Jones’s new hotel, the Clements, on the Strand. They play vinyl, the lighting is beautiful and the crowd is eclectic. It’s not central to everything happening this week, but it’s been heaving every time I’ve been.

What To Wear…

During Frieze Week you want to balance comfort with looking incredibly chic, because you won’t have time to go home and change between the fair and the evening. I’ve recently been loving Veronica Beard, who makes beautifully cut clothes. I have a houndstooth set, a long skirt with a slit and a blazer, which I’d wear with a fitted sleeveless turtleneck, boots, vintage jewellery and a vintage designer bag, so you can dress it up or down. Hair makes a big difference too. Wear it down in the day and slick it back at night, and it instantly dresses things up. And flats. I would not recommend going around in heels.

The Art Crowd Hangs Out At…

I don’t think there’s one spot that’s the same every year. Some parties and dinners do repeat, but the beauty of Frieze London is that there isn’t one place. So many new dinners, events and parties pop up across the city that week, and each has a different mix of people. You can move between different circles in the same evening and bump into familiar faces along the way, and there’s real spontaneity. It’s not like Basel, where you know everyone will end up at the same hotel at night. It’s more fluid.

The Under-The Radar Spot…

Maybe I shouldn’t say this, but my own home. I host a lot of artist dinners there, very discreetly. More broadly, some of the best under-the-radar spots are private homes. During Frieze Week you might be invited to a beautiful collector’s home for dinner, or to someone who’s recently been featured in Architectural Digest and decides to open their doors. Those evenings are rarely talked about. If you know, you know.

The Booths I’m Most Excited To See…

At Frieze I’m excited to visit Carbon 12. They represent Nour Malas, whose solo exhibition Living Multiplicity is in our Drawing Room right now, and by coincidence we’ll be showing another Carbon 12 artist at the Arts Club Dubai in November. I’m also looking forward to Sadie Coles’s booth to see Alex Da Corte. I love multidisciplinary artists who aren’t confined to one medium, and he moves between sculpture, installation, video and performance. He’s made a huge sculpture called Princess Daffodil, which I’m very excited to see.

The Emerging Artist To Keep An Eye On…

There’s a Danish artist, Esben Weile Kjær, who has a show at Albion Jeune in Fitzrovia. He works with stained glass, which is such a traditional medium, the kind you see in churches, but his approach feels really contemporary. His exhibition, Fool, brings together stained-glass works and sculptural installations that combine medieval imagery with pop culture, and the colours are beautiful. Do go if you have the chance.

My Cultural Calendar This Month… 

1. The Peggy Guggenheim exhibition at the Royal Academy, opening in November.
2. Electra/Persona at the National Theatre with Cate Blanchett. I’m seeing it this week.
3. Our show with Anthony Akinbola at the Arts Club Dubai. He makes huge, phenomenal works using durags.
4. Tyla performing live. I love music, so I can’t wait.
5. Primetime, which screened at Venice and is showing at the London Film Festival. It’s a biopic of Chris Hansen, the TV host behind To Catch a Predator, starring Robert Pattinson, who apparently picked up the script straight away. It was co-written by a friend of a friend from India, and there’s already talk of an Oscar nomination for Pattinson.

Find out more at theartsclub.co.uk