Frieze Masters: Mitchell-Innes & Nash

Mitchell-Innes & Nash have teamed up with Annely Juda Fine Art to present a restlessly inventive series of drawings after Old Masters by Leon Kossoff. We spoke to Lucy Mitchell-Innes about the display.

Tell us a bit about the history of your gallery

We founded the gallery in 1996, initially focusing on secondary market sales and artists’ estates such as Jean Arp, Willem de Kooning and Roy Lichtenstein. About 10 years ago we opened our second location in Chelsea and began developing our programme of contemporary artists, which now includes among others: Sarah Braman, Keltie Ferris, Daniel Lefcourt, William Pope.L, Virginia Overton, Martha Rosler, and Jessica Stockholder.

How did the idea for your stand at Frieze Masters come about?

The idea for our booth at Frieze Masters came about from a conversation between David Juda of Annely Juda Fine Art and myself. Frieze Masters is a unique art fair with its focus is on viewing historical art through a contemporary lens, and this is exactly what Kossoff’s body of work after the Old Masters is about. David and I both knew this would be an incredible opportunity for a focused presentation of the drawings and etchings Kossoff made in situ after masterpieces by Cezanne, Goya, Rembrandt, Titian and Veronese among others. We enlisted Andrea Rose to curate the booth, and to highlight Kossoff’s talent for transforming some of the most singular images in the Western canon in his own style.

What, for you, is the most interesting or significant piece in the display? 

The series of drawings After Goya: The Madhouse are personal favorites in the booth. Leon makes the madhouse seem even more frenzied than Goya and the drawings become about something altogether different while still being connected to him.

How has the market changed since you started dealing?

The market has changed enormously since I first started dealing; the landscape of contemporary art is infinitely larger, more global, which is definitely a positive thing. Nowadays collectors from China appreciate Leon’s work and recognise its links with painting from China today.

Do you collect yourself? 

I collect a range of things, from emerging contemporary artists to Egyptian antiques.

If you could take home one artwork from Frieze masters, which would it be?

Let me take a look around!

If you weren’t an art dealer, what would you be?

Equestrian, or teacher. I love teaching other people about things that I am passionate about! And I have ridden horses my whole my life.

Mitchell-Innes and Nash are at Frieze Masters (Stand D4) until 19 October.