Spotlight Series: Artists who took center stage during Miami Art Week

Miami Art Week was as frantic and fabulous as ever. Satellite fairs delivered fresh perspectives, spotlighting emerging talent, global voices and niche curatorial visions beyond the main convention center. Across the top contemporary fairs, a few artists rose above the noise. Their work anchored the week; commanding booths, shifting conversations and pulling collectors into deeper, more curious looks.

Some sparked breakout moments with bold material risk-taking, while others affirmed their staying power through meticulous craft or sharp cultural critique. Together, these standout artists shaped the tone of this year’s edition, proving that even amid the sprawl of satellite shows and spectacle, singular voices still cut through and claimed the spotlight.

SCOPE Art Show, which first hit the South Beach sand in 2004, remained one of the most dynamic fairs. Celebrated for elevating emerging and established voices, the event connected artists with collectors, curators and global audiences.

Haitian-born contemporary artist Guy Stanley Philoche has built an impressive career by turning personal history into vivid urban storytelling. Based in Harlem, his dual identities fuel a bold palette, emotional directness and an instinct for visual impact.

Blending hyperreal portraiture and meticulous detail, Philoche’s Give Us Our Flowers series stood out. Defined by distinct color stories and a signature style, the works honor community and have earned wide acclaim. Using mixed media on canvas, he paints children to convey innocence, hope and the promise of a brighter future, grounding each scene with tiny daisies (his mother’s favorite flower) as symbolic anchors.

A closer look reveals even more. Little girls wear diamonds in their ears because “it means she’s loved,” the artist shared. The phrase “POST NO BILLS,” a legal notice in construction sites, appears across the series to “see these young and beautiful kids who are treasured, and don’t try to cover us up,” he added.

Philoche, who buys a painting every time he sells one, says, “You can’t talk about supporting the culture if you’re not investing in it.” With 60 paintings per series, each canvas sits at the intersection of heritage and city life - delivering an editorial sharpness that feels immediate and cinematic. Art becomes resistance here, and this is storytelling at its finest.

As Miami’s original and longest-running contemporary art fair, Art Miami showcased significant 20th- and 21st-century works (think contemporary, modern, post-war and pop!) reaffirming its influential status.

Beloved British artist Lucy Sparrow brought sweetness galore to the TW Fine Art Projects booth with Sugar Rush, her felt-filled reimagining of a classic American candy shop. She first showed her work in Miami a decade ago, and is widely regarded as THE queen of felt sculpture.

Sparrow’s large-scale installation featured 35,000 carefully curated hand-sewn, hand-painted confectionery treats - an outstanding feat. Visitors were immersed in a brightly colored, nostalgic world where whimsy met art. From chocolate bars and ice cream cones to jelly beans, a pick-n-mix section and framed works, each delightful creation gleamed in her signature style, capturing the thrill of childhood candy. Such a sweet feast for the eyes!

Founded in 2012, UNTITLED Art was a must-see fair offering exhibitors from 29 countries and territories under the big Miami Beach tent. With galleries from both major and unexpected art hubs, the fair amplified diverse voices, proving that discovery, experimentation and inclusivity could drive an event’s vision.

RULAY Magazine showcased Dominican artist Mónica Hernández, a Bronx-based painter whose vivid oil on canvas works bring the diaspora into sharp emotional focus. She wields vibrant color and surreal, shifting interiors to confront the complexities of gender, sexuality and cultural identity.

Hernández’s paintings center curvaceous women of color in dreamlike domestic spaces, recasting the narrative as vulnerable, intimate, seductive and spiritual. Bold figurative nudes claim space with authority, and the work feels electric and empowering. Each canvas pulses with clear narrative tension. 

Rooted in personal memory, the artist recalls how a lack of space dictated her life when her family moved from a house in the Dominican Republic to a small apartment in New York City. She builds a potent visual language that examines taking up room, honoring heritage and island life, uplifting female representation and expanding how Black and brown queer bodies are seen and valued in contemporary art. Brava!

During its 13th edition, CONTEXT Art Miami presented close to 70 international galleries from cities across the world, turning booths into immersive playgrounds of color, scale and surprise. Attendees buzzed through the fair hunting the next breakout talent while soaking in established voices. 

Hilton Contemporary showcased world-renowned photographer David Yarrow. Scotland-born and London-based, Yarrow creates images that are at once powerful, intimate, and unforgettable, captivating collectors and audiences worldwide. He is celebrated for iconic moments (like Diego Maradona holding the World Cup!) and his limited-edition prints regularly command top prices at Sotheby’s and other prestigious auction houses.

Yarrow’s lens brings stars such as Alessandra Ambrosio, Brooks Nader and Cara Delevingne face-to-face with wolves, cheetahs, and lions, fusing celebrity and the wild in a singularly original way. A photographer, author, conservationist, and humanitarian, he has donated over $20 million from his work to charity. Traveling to the world’s most remote corners, Yarrow captures wildlife, indigenous cultures, landscapes, and urban scenes with rare sensitivity. His striking visual narratives celebrate life, diversity, and the extraordinary in both people and the natural world.

The 19th edition of Aqua Art Miami did not disappoint! The exhibition highlighted fresh works from over 30 galleries worldwide, spotlighting young, emerging and mid-career artists across intimate spaces that offered the perfect setting for discovery.

Canadian artist, designer and award-winning gallerist Graeme Luey arrived with a sharp mix of minimalist works, including his own. As director of #Hashtag Gallery and the Mexico City–based Casa Lienzo Art Residency, he knows firsthand how vital it is to champion and inspire fellow creatives.

Luey supports talent by giving them rare access and opportunity. “The Casa Lienzo residency invites artists to stay with us a few weeks, learn new skills and support the local community,” he said. “My goal is to connect artists with local collectives, galleries, collectors and other creatives in Mexico City.”

Through #Hashtag Gallery and Casa Lienzo, Luey partners with curators, instructors and tour guides to create a meaningful balance of art, life and work. “We offer a place to stay, private and shared studios, groceries and meals, a communal dining and living room, a rooftop, and shop, gallery and workshop space,” he added.