The international contemporary art affair is the first of its kind to return to New York City. Following a year of immense social-political turmoil, this latest iteration of Frieze pays tribute to The Vision & Justice Project, and its founder Sarah Elizabeth Lewis, Associate Professor at Harvard University.

“Still stunned that Frieze New York is tributing The Vision and Justice Project fair-wide this year,”shared Lewis via Instagram post. “When Frieze approached me about it, I agreed so long as it could be, effectively, a tribute to others alongside me—the scholars, the artists, the filmmakers, and more. So I’m thrilled to see such programming being rolled out as part of this tribute.

To get the ball rolling, participants were asked “How are the arts responsible for disrupting, complicating, or shifting narratives of visual representation in the public realm?”

With over 50 art galleries and institutions who center their showcasing efforts on art in conversation with justice— or lack there of—the effort runs fair-wide. All drawing inspiration from Lewis’s project, that is an education and art platform sparked by Frederick Douglass’ civil war speech Pictures and Progress, highlighting the power of image-making in shaping perceptions about race.

The art fair’s response takes shape in an impressive lineup digital events, artworks, institutional contributions and special screenings. With the support of Prada, Lewis will moderate a panel discussion between Wynton Marsalis, Ava DuVernay, Franklin Leonard, Carrie Mae Weems and Theaster Gates. Offering “a rare chance for leaders across disciplines to reflect on the opportunities and challenges for Black cultural production,” said Lewis.

Also joining the Tribute are revered artists Carrie Mae Weems and Hank Willis Thomas who have been commissioned to conjure their own odes to the Vision & Justice Project. Weems honors the artists who were original part of Lewis’ project, with a unique display of monumental book cover images for them. Meanwhile, Thomas riffs off his campaign ‘2020 Awakening,’ launched by his initiative, For Freedoms, to offer a re-creation of his billboard, Who Taught You To Love (2020.)

With equal importance and talent, Mel Chin will exhibit a new billboard spotlight solidarity the Asian, Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, also brought to life with For Freedoms.

This marks a new momentum towards accountability, inclusion and wider-representation within a typically rigid network of institutions. Hopefully, the efforts are carried on with no bounds, expanding beyond this respective industry and into others.

Already sold out, Frieze New York is taking place at The Shed, in Manhattan’s rising Hudson Yards,  from May 5-9, 2021.