Fifteen Emerging Artists To Look Out For In 2023
Each and every year a select group of artists push their portfolio of work far enough to unlock new milestones within their career. Some have major breakthroughs in the work they've been creating, others have kept their head down for so long that their efforts have really begun to show. For this article we're not focused primarily on who's become popular, but more so on who deserve recognition for the thought provoking work they've been creating, especially within this recent year.
In previous articles, Artist Replete has highlighted creatives that we feel will continue to grow in both value and fame. Many of the of artists we've mentioned in the past went on to achieve tremendous success from the sheer fact that they remained persistent in their vision and continued to update their practice along the way.
It's not always easy to recognize progress, as much of it happens behind the scenes from long nights in the studio where artists create work that can give its viewer a temporary escape from reality. A.R's curated list below represents a combination of newer of artists who've recently made immense headway in the market, alongside visionaries that've annually outdone themselves.
Arnold Fokam
If you're looking for an artist who's at the start of a promising career, look no further than Arnold Fokam. His signature style of creating transparent characters that reveal an aquatic utopia is unlike anything else regularly found in the art market today. His work is both inspiring and creates a feeling of tranquility through its message.
Jonathan Downing
Just two months prior the release of this article, Jonathan Downing debuted a completely sold out solo show titled "Countryside Jumpshot." Curated by art powerhouse League OTO, the show featured facially obscured portraits in a countryside setting, with a basketball nuance in each creation. The unique theme brilliantly displayed a melting pot of pop culture, rural life, with a dash of the abstract. Keep a close eye on this artist in the coming months.
Teboho Makoatsa
While Teboho's dedication to art may not be new, his extensive series titled "Heels" began just over a year ago. The description of the work above reads: "A girl child is fascinated by following her mom's footsteps. It's so surprising to learn that children in general have minds that are ready to capture anything they come across." Not only have we come across this work and connected with it, but thousands of others have too.
Jason Farley
Over the summer, Chicago artist Jason Farley began to experiment with the artwork he's been creating for decades. As he puts it: "This is an idea Ive had for some time now but wasn’t sure how to approach it. It's still an evolutionary process and the first of its kind for my art." This particular style caught our attention so much so, that we ended up interviewing the artist as he created more work for this stunning new series.
Kathryn Macnaughton
We'll admit it, we don't feature a lot of abstract artwork, but when it comes to the work of Canadian artist Kathryn MacNaughton, we just couldn't look away. Her style has brought excitement to a genre of art that can be difficult for some new collectors to find noticeable value in. The distinct style bursting with bright colors, layered with sophistication and modern edge, makes her a force to be reckoned with.
Tymon de Laat
With a deep love for Latin America, particularly Mexico, street artist Tymon de Laat adds a local flare to each meticulous portrait he creates. He finds inspiration from the photography he takes while traveling and then visually translates it into vivid works on concrete and canvas. The artist's skillset of capturing native beauty throughout Europe creates an international context that we're all in someway connected.
Flog
If you're an art aficionado, nothing can be more exciting than finding an artist at the early stages of great progression. Flog's signature "Man of Glass" collection has received international attention, with the majority of his entire portfolio sold. The exciting part of it all is that the artist's work is, for now, still very affordable. We anticipate a price increase for Flogs work and continued demand that will only grow stronger.
Lixian Cai
Although Lixan Cai has been selling her artwork for well over a decade in Asia, the United States is a brand new territory for her. We first caught wind of the artist in West Loop, Chicago at the Other Art Fair. She had one of the largest booths, displaying some unbelievably detailed portraits that were selling left and right. When we went to congratulate her on the successful display, she spoke almost no English at all. That moment triggered a translated interview to better understand her story and the journey she's been on with her collection.
Mauricio Ramirez
To say Mauricio Ramirez had an impressive summer of 2022 would be an understatement as large as the mural work he creates. From Wisconsin to California, then to Vermont, his large scale projects inspired entire city populations and his year of advancement continues.
Chadwick
Chad Christian, aka Chadwick, is an artist we recently discovered in person during his solo exhibition, "A Family Affair", in Chicago. While the artist currently resides in Los Angeles, his midwest solo performance unleashed a series of work with a unique twist. Each piece displayed masks the identity of its subject with micro-shreds of paint for a textural element we really haven't seen much of before. Highlighted above is an acrylic on canvas creation titled "The One" sold shortly after the debut of his show.
Cris Herrera Kiki
Hailing from South American, Kiki is arguably one of the most talented streets artists today. His work focuses on depicting people native to his region and the history of struggle his ancestors experienced. The artist captures cultural identity within pieces harmoniously placed in pockets of urban communities. His message is poetic and his work has gradually been collected outside of his homeland. This is another artist that fascinated us so much that we sat down for a translated interview to learn more about his story.
Khari Turner
Khari Turner creates figurative abstract pieces using water he collects from rivers and oceans with a strong connection to black history. By keeping the mouth and nose intact, the artwork feels both familiar and new at the same time. His work ethic towards his collection has brought him undeniable success over the past few years and he continues to thrive. You can still obtain pieces from his collection in the four figure price range, though this may not last for long.
Baldur Helgason
Baldur Helgasons artwork is in such high demand that it's hard to say if he's even an emerging artist at this point. We first became aware of his art nearly five years ago when he displayed work in the neighborhood Chicago gallery circuit. The artist now fetches prices as much as 40k per piece. His print work, however, is still relatively approachable for an artist of his stature. Kudos to Baldur for starting with a niche style and building a large group of collectors that continues to grow each year.
Mr Cenz
In a style that he defines as "Futuristic Space Funk," Mr Cenz has beautified walls consistently year after year. The subtle swirls, blended with architecture and figurative motion, make for work that will continue to captivate its audience throughout the seasons. He's remained a consistently great act to follow.
Derek Christensen
With students on break for the summer, high school teacher Derek Christensen went all in on his craft. This self taught artist exhibited in nearly every major art fair in the midwest, growing his list of collectors. The Chicago native is in a realm of his own, with a style most creatives would find extremely challenging to emulate. With each creation, Christensen recycles license plates into historical figures. Still early in his career, this is an artist that will without a doubt continue allure a new fan base.
Leave a comment