"Folding Light" (2024), an immersive sound-and-light sculpture by Lua Brice, will be on view in the atrium. Image courtesy of SCOPE Art Show
SCOPE Art Show is set to kick off its 23rd edition in Miami Beach, Florida, next week.
The premier showcase for contemporary art during Miami Art Week, 2024’s show is sure to wow once more with immersive installations, engaging conversations and pieces presented by top emerging galleries and artists pushing the boundaries.
“SCOPE’s multifaceted programming champions visionaries who are thinking and making outside the box and driving forward the creative conversation,” said Hayley River Smith, director of SCOPE, in a statement.
“This year’s theme of Interdependence celebrates the collaborative nature of the creative ecosystem – even across disciplines and industries – from artists to local coffee connoisseurs to world-class stage talent, all of which have an impactful presence at this year’s edition.”
Commanding presence
From SCOPE’s first show in Miami in 2002 to its current iteration as a bespoke activation right on the sands of the beach, the event has long had an aim to foster collaborations between all forms of art.
The theme for 2024, Interdependence – reflecting the interconnectedness of not just artists, galleries, curators, collectors and others in the art world, but of all individuals, communities and the wider world, puts that aim into focus.
Two new works commissioned for the show truly embody this idea, inviting SCOPE attendees to reflect on it further.
The first will greet attendees as the enter the show: “Folding Light” (2024) by Australian artist Lua Brice, is an immersive sculpture that uses the intersections of light and sound to exemplify the interconnectedness of all things, including the unseen forces that shape the world.
Installations by British-Nigerian artist Yinka Ilori MBE will beckon interaction in the show’s Sapphire Lounge. “Lift Me Higher With Joy” (2024) features a series of risers where guests can create affirmations using colorful letters, while “The Shrine of Affirmations” (2024) features a shelter structure surrounded by flying kites, invoking sanctuary within and liberation outside.
Other large-scale work on view at the show includes “Ukuthula Makube Nawe (Peace Be With You)” (2024), a monumental 26-foot painting by Dr. Esther Mahlangu, the celebrated South African artist who, at 89, continues to create awe-inspiring pieces inspired by traditional Ndebele murals.
American artist Hebru Brantley has created an immersive carnival experience, “Black Oddyssey,” which celebrates African American culture and history. Circus oddities of the 1920s and ‘30s are reimagined by the artist to reflect on African American creativity and resilience. His beloved characters, such as Fly Boy, Lil Mama and Phibby, will all make appearances throughout the circus.
"Black Oddyssey" is an installation by Hebru Brantley that will take visitors on a trip through the circus and Black creativity. Image courtesy of SCOPE Art Show
Connecting the dots
Two standalone sections of the show will highlight specific mediums and geographies.
1,400-sq-ft presentation with FUZE, an art fair in Nassau, Bahamas, spotlighting Caribbean artists, including Heino Schmid, Kendra Frorup, Antonius Roberts, Jason Bennett, Deborah Jack, Marlon Griffith, James Cooper and David Gumbs. A concurrent prize, SCOPE Art Show x The Current: Baha Mar Art Prize + Residency, was awarded to Wesley Clark for 2024.
The other, photo basel + SCOPE, enters its second year, with a special curated section of fine art photography curated by the Swiss art fair dedicated to the medium.
As if that wasn’t enough, attendees will also, of course, walk through the two main sections of SCOPE featuring over 85 exhibiting galleries from 15 countries. Futures is full of standout emerging galleries new to SCOPE, while CORE showcases established galleries championing diverse artistic voices.
The conversation will continue on SCOPE’s main stage, where panels and talks will take place throughout each day. Thought-provoking topics will include the role of AI in art, the state of Latinx art in Los Angeles, Black fashion design and independent filmmaking.
Attendees can also begin each day at the main stage with yoga, guided meditation and sound baths led by Alo Yoga and end with nightlife offerings after hours, including live performances by Black Coffee, Disclosure, Etienne Charles and Quiana Parks.
To be a part of Interdependence at SCOPE Art Show in Miami Beach, Dec. 3-8, 2024, purchase tickets here.