Contemporary Art Filled With Wit and Whimsy at SCOPE Miami Beach 2018

This spirit continued with the other special projects and collaborations slotted for this year’s exhibition. SCOPE also included works by Detroit native artist AJ Fosik, showcasing his wooden sculptures that favor technicolor animal deities.

Then there’s the much-hyped Young Thug/classical painting installation by Netherlands-based artist Hajar Benjida. Visitors can interact (and even take home) large flip-book slides, alternating between iconic paintings from the Western canon with elaborate and luxurious photographs of the American rapper (known for his eccentric vocal style and gender-fluid fashion sensibility). And at the heart of the show lies the immersive Yok & Sheryo's Devil's Lounge: part installation and part VIP parlor curated by the independent, artist-run Superchief Gallery. The 35-foot wide demon-head structure is filled with surreal murals and furniture pieces/artifacts perfect for artful engagement and Instagram.

This love for this surreal and unusual carries on throughout the curated exhibitors, particularly through SCOPE Miami Beach's New Contemporary program, which highlights the latest among urban artists—long a trademark for the show. Standouts include the weird and whimsical Corey Helford Gallery from Los Angeles, whose exhibit ranges from the ghostly x-ray figures of Kazuki Takamatsu to the pop graffiti of British art collective, The London Police. The Mirus Gallery showed more geometric sculptures by Okuda San Miguel, plus the anatomy cross-section illustrations and bronzes of Austrian urban artist, Nychos.

The program also included stunning solo-show exhibits, like the slasher sculptural paintings of Brooklyn-based artist Meguru Yamaguchi, from the GR Gallery in New York. The Atlanta-based Chic Evolution in Art Gallery also focused on one artist, the Brazilian painter Lucio Carvalho and his French rococo ladies concealed behind cosmonaut helmets.

Of special note is SCOPE Miami Beach’s Breeder program, an international incubator dedicated to introducing new artists and galleries to the market. This year’s selection includes the small but eclectic One Mile Gallery from Kingston, New York, whose exhibit focuses on the quirky action-figure photography of Mark Hogancamp (whose work and life story inspired the new film “Welcome to Marwen,” starring Steve Carell). The program also included new talent from South Korea. Gallery Younghye showcased intricate wood mandalas by Sosan Kim, while the Seoul-based Art Gangnam Gallery & Company features the graphic black paintings of Dae Won Yang. Artist-owned collectives were also given space to shine, like the Mutt Collective, founded by artists Gemma Gene, Jason McGroarty and Katie Levinson.

Amidst this year’s hectic Miami Art Week, it’s easy to get lost among the international crowd of big brand artists. But for 17 years, SCOPE Miami had always focused on the future, with an uncanny ability to find the art world’s next exciting voices—making this show essential for anyone seeking what’s new and what’s next.