Welcome to HERO Young Art Week – our essential, multifaceted guide to the new wave of creatives working at the vanguard of contemporary art today. Across a dynamic week of digital content, we’re exploring what’s happening at the epicentre of this global community: from the ground up, the artists themselves and the key figures witnessing the evolution of the ideas, trends and movements defining this art generation.

Barely before we could get over the hype surrounding last year’s edition, Frieze London is back at Regent’s Park for 2014. Frieze maintains its status as London’s most significant art fair through its solid spotlighting of purely contemporary art and living artists – but it’s the event’s dedication to bringing emerging galleries to the forefront of both industry and public attention that really sets it apart.

This year sees the 12th edition of Frieze London’s Focus section, dedicated to galleries up to 12 years old presenting projects specifically conceived for Frieze. Focus this year absorbs the past Frame section, and there’s also the launch of the Live section for performance and participatory shows.

“By merging the sections Focus and Frame, the younger part of the fair will become even more dynamic, and the newest generation of galleries will have an even stronger platform,” says Raphael Gygax, curatorial advisor for Focus at Frieze London and Frieze New York. Amen to that.

In light of the changes and this year’s major (and, we’ll admit, a tad overwhelming) schedule we asked Gygax to come up with a quick hit list of his must-see emerging gallery shows.

If you’re heading to Frieze, grab a pen and take note. If you’re not, do so anyway – this is a healthy list of names to brain-tab for the next time you’re gabbing about contemporary art.

Michael Smith / Dan Gunn, Berlin
“My highlights include Dan Gunn’s booth with a solo presentation of American artist Michael Smith – a reconstruction of Government Approved Home Fallout Shelter and Snack Bar, a seminal piece from the 1980s,” says Raphael Gygax.

“Michael Smith will also perform in the space as his character, Mike. It’s great to see a young European gallery showing such an important historical work for the first time outside of the US.”

Ante Timmermans / Galerie Barbara Seiler, Zurich
“There will be a very ambitious performance installation based on Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot by Belgian artist, Ante Timmermans (Galerie Barbara Seiler, Zurich), entitled LA MARCHE DE L’ARRÊT,“ says Gygax. “The performance executed by several performers at the same time will bring together moments from the absurd theatre and dance.”

Villa Design Group / Mathew Gallery, Berlin
“In another theatrical installation, Mathew Gallery from Berlin will present the Villa Design Group, an artist collective from Hamburg, who they will turn the booth into an all-over installation: a film set for live screen tests, in which actors and members of the public will take part,” says Gygax. “Sounds like fun, no?”

Frieze London 2014 will be help from 15th to 18th October at Regent’s Park, London. Find further information here. 

Stay tuned for more Young Art Week content in the coming days and plug into our social media platforms for updates as they come.