SCOPE Miami Beach returns for its 17th edition. Featuring 140 exhibitors from 25 countries, the arena is recognised worldwide for its forward-thinking approach and focus on emerging practitioners and galleries. Featured institutions include Laurence Alkin Gallery, London; Azart Gallery, New York; By Night Gallery, Paris; Khankhalaev Gallery, Moscow and Khalfa Gallery, Seoul. The event introduces a series of topical panel discussions hosted by Sotheby’s, Artnet and Def Jam recordings, including Feminist Art for a New Era, exploring the power of culture as a means of achieving equality and representation.
This year’s fair presents a series of special projects and conversations that are rooted in current issues, including a site-specific installation commissioned for the atrium of the Miami Beach Pavilion by Felipe Pantone. Chromadynamica Dimensional assumes the physical form of a 3D computer glitch, commenting on the overwhelming influence of the digital age. Disrupting traditional notions of chronology by uniting modern technology with structures pioneered in the 1960s, Pantone invites viewers to reflect upon their lived experience. In a similar way, SCOPE’s partnership with Column Health’s Craft Guild encourages thoughtful participation from the individual. unaffilliate.us, a contribution from Tom Fruin, aims to destigmatise drug addiction, raising awareness of treatment options. Forming part of this project, Fruin’s ICON series comprises of houses lit internally and water towers constructed from mosaic tiles, transforming mundane everyday structures into meaningful beacons of hope.
Architectural forms are also the basis for Drew Leshko’s sculptural documentary work, represented by Paradigm Gallery, Philadelphia. The artist creates three-dimensional recordings of buildings in states of flux, chronicling gentrification and urban transformation. His practice questions the authoritative voices that define historical relevance, a notion also explored by Dagmar van Weeghel, represented by Rademaker’s Gallery, Amsterdam, whose portraits bring into focus the experiences of African women, focussing on the individual yet foregrounding the collective, visually narrating and paying respect to the challenges faced by diasporic cultures. The Melech Collection, deeply rooted in the same history, is curated by NBA All-Star Amar’e Stoudemire and features a 40 foot installation by Stephen Cogle that unites tribal traditions with the urban landscape.
From 5-10 December. Find out more: www.scope-art.com.
Credits:
1. Drew Leshko, Mac’s Club Deuce, 2016. Courtesy of Paradigm Gallery and SCOPE.
