THEO TRIANTAFYLLIDIS WINS THE 2026 FRIEZE LONDON ARTIST AWARD

Theo Triantafyllidis has been announced as the winner of the 2026 Frieze London Artist Award. The award, co-commissioned and co-produced with Forma, and, for the first time, in collaboration with and sponsored by Google arts culture, supports an artist at a pivotal moment in their career to realize an ambitious new work and present it during the fair. ⁠
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At Frieze London (14 – 18 October 2026), Triantafyllidis will present ‘Feral Metaverse (Spider)’, 2026, a sculptural installation that includes a multiplayer game. A climbable physical structure, the work will be an entry point to a shared digital environment in which players cooperate to move, connect and form temporary group bodies – towers, wheels and hugs. Players can only proceed if they collaborate with one another, try things out, fail and try again, while the artwork’s tactility and participatory dimension will transform the exhibition space from a place of passive observation to one of active engagement. ⁠
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The artist was invited to explore advanced technologies, including AI, as a tool and collaborator in the development of the artwork. ⁠
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‘It’s a great honour to be given this kind of opportunity,’ said Triantafyllidis. ‘I get to assemble my team in Athens and push both the game and the sculptural form further than ever before.’ ⁠
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⁠Global Lead Partner – Deutsche Bank, Deutsche bank art ⁠ ⁠
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*Theo Triantafyllidis has been supported through the ARTWORKS Grants Program (2025) for his work Resonant Forge.