December 3, 2019
These emerging artists work in all manner of media, from ceramics to textile to painting.
As the art world descends on Miami for the annual Art Basel Miami Beach fair and the accompanying constellation of fairs and parties, there can be a lot of noise to distract you from the main event. To keep your focus on the art—and, more specifically, emerging artists worth knowing—we’ve pulled out a few buzzed-about rising talents you should make sure to seek out at the fair this year. Just don’t blame us if you can’t get off the wait list to buy.
A work by Woody De Othello. Courtesy of the artist, Jessica Silverman Gallery, San Francisco and KARMA, NY.
Woody De Othello
Who: Still south of 30 years old, this ascendant Miami-born sculptor has become known for comically surreal ceramics of oversized household objects, which usually look to be in the process of melting, sprouting cartoon limbs, or both. Think Dali’s The Persistence of Memory adapted for Nickelodeon.
Based in: Oakland, California
Notable Resume Lines: De Othello currently has a solo exhibition at the San Jose Museum of Art (through April 5, 2020), and, in February, the San Francisco International Airport unveiled three of his new bronze sculptures permanently installed on its remodeled observation deck. His work was also featured in the 33rd Ljubljana Biennial of Graphic Arts in Slovenia this year, as well as the inaugural Front Triennial in Cleveland in 2018.
Where to See It: Art Basel’s new Meridians section as well as the main gallery section, where his work will be presented by Jessica Silverman Gallery and Karma.
What to Look Out for: Cool Composition, De Othello’s contribution to Meridians, recalls the Miami summers of the artist’s youth, where the box fan was the nexus of home life and his Haitian-descended family told tales of spirits inhabiting everyday objects. The installation consists of a giant bronze fan—sagging from exhaustion, or perhaps bending down to whisper secrets—surrounded by a set of life-size stools and citrus trees. His dealer’s booths will host wall sculptures of telephones, vents, and clocks, along with freestanding sculptures and works on paper.
Prices: De Othello’s works are priced between roughly $8,000 and $15,000.
Fun Fact: De Othello is a CrossFit die-hard.
Up Next: 2020 will keep the artist busy with a solo show in esteemed Mexico City project space Lulu, a residency at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, and a solo booth with Jessica Silverman at Art Basel Hong Kong.
