Everyone always wants to know who’s the Next Big Thing in contemporary art. We don’t have a crystal ball, but based on what we’ve read and seen and heard about in conversation, we’ve got some names to share. Our correspondent Abbie Martin Greenbaum has curated a list of 10 brilliant emerging contemporary artists to watch – many of whom are women, or of color, or both – in the art world in 2022.
Who are the emerging contemporary artists likely to break big in 2022?
It can be difficult to keep track of emerging artists. There are so many working in so many mediums, it can sometimes feel easier to sit back and wait until an artist reaches stardom to start paying close attention to their work.
10 brilliant emerging contemporary artists to watch – many of whom are women, or of color, or both – in the art world in 2022.
Everyone has favorite museums and artists that are well-known and loved. But part of the fun of is discovering the next and the new.
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For so many reasons, it’s crucial to find these emerging artists and support them before they reach their big moment. That’s how we can help them on their journey, so that they can keep making more art.
With that in mind, here are ten contemporary artists who excite us. They are all working today, in different stages of their careers, and they are all worth paying attention to. And if you want to go even deeper into this topic, pre-order the new book from luxury and art publisher Phaidon, Prime: Art’s Next Generation. It features profiles of 107 artists born since 1980, chosen by a new generation of art experts and leaders.
10 emerging artists to watch in the contemporary art world in 2022
1. Sung Tieu
Born in 1987 in Vietnam, artist Sung Tieu is based in Berlin and works across many mediums – including film, sound, and installation. In 2021, she received the Frieze Artist Award for her film Moving Target Shadow Detection, which is an exploration of the effects of sonic warfare. Her pieces are often concerned with situations of systemic control, as noted in her 2021 conversation with Kate Brown. Each one is backed by substantial research into her subject matter. Her work has been featured in many galleries, including Haus der Kunst, Nottingham Contemporary, and Royal Academy of Arts, and we can anticipate her new solo exhibition at MUDAM in Luxembourg next fall.
Emerging contemporary artists of color to watch in 2022: Sung Tieu. Courtesy Photo.
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2. Amani Lewis
Amani Lewis is a Maryland and Miami-based artist, working with paint, photography and other materials to capture the Black community of Baltimore. The artist is known for their vivid, colorful portraits, which speak to an expansive imagination. This past December, they were called the “next big thing” by Galerie, after their debut solo show at New York’s Salon 94. We are looking forward to seeing what they do next, and in the meantime, their piece “Two Queens: Ode to Romare Bearden” is available for purchase. You can keep up with them on Instagram.
Emerging women contemporary artists of color to watch in 2022: Amani Lewis. Courtesy Photo.
3. Cornelius Annor
Born in Ghana in 1990, Cornelius Annor studied art at the well-known Ghanatta College of Art and Design. He is known for his portraits of everyday life, and for incorporating other mediums – like fabric – in his work. Galleries in Africa and the United States have shown his work, most recently Venus Over Manhattan’s “Lost But Found” show in New York. Check out his latest pieces on Instagram.
Emerging contemporary artists of color to watch in 2022: Cornelius Annor. Courtesy Photo.
4. Qualeasha Wood
Wood is a young Brooklyn-based artist who works with tapestry and tufting. Art Basel Miami Beach and New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art have showcased her work. She is currently one of the artists-in-residence at The Studio Museum in Harlem. Keep up with her most recent information here.
Emerging women contemporary artists of color to watch in 2022: Qualeasha Wood. Courtesy Photo.
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5. Cassi Namoda
Cassi Namoda has been on our radar since she was profiled in Vogue in 2017 – three years before she was commissioned to create the cover of Vogue Italia. Born in Mozambique and based in the United States, she is a performance artist and painter who creates figurative portraits. Her work has appeared in cities across the globe, and is currently on display at Andrew Kreps Gallery in New York, as one of the six artists included in the exhibition “Body Language.”
Emerging contemporary artists around the world: Cassi Namoda. Courtesy Photo.
6. Elizabeth Huey
Elizabeth Huey is a Los Angeles-based painter, using her work to “explore human connection and healing.” Much of her inspiration comes from photographs – her own, as well as found snapshots – and she does deep background research for many of her subjects. Her fantastical images have appeared in solo and group shows across the United States. Many major publications have covered them. Most recently, her work was included in “Melrose,” a group exhibition at Harper’s Los Angeles. Follow her on Instagram to see where you can view her paintings next.
Emerging contemporary artists around the world: Elizabeth Huey. Courtesy Photo.
7. Kingsley Ayogu
Born in 1994, the Nigerian artist is known for his hyperrealist style. His paintings are so detailed that they resemble photographs. Several months ago, “Malcolm X,” the first of his series “Icons in the White House” went viral on the internet. This series was recently displayed in the exhibition “Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)” at Hangar in Lisbon. Alongside work by one of our absolute favorites, the artist Zanele Muholi. Keep in touch on Instagram to see what’s next for the young artist.
Emerging contemporary artists around the world: Kingsley Ayogu. Courtesy Photo.
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8. Jennifer Rose Sciarrino
The Toronto-based artist works primarily in sculpture, video, and installation. In her most recent exhibition at Canada’s Museum of Contemporary Art, she explored the relationship between humans and microorganisms. Using rocks that sourced from Ontario, Sciarrino worked to reveal the yeast hidden inside of each stone. Her pieces have appeared all over Canada, and as a part of Frieze Sculpture in New York. You can follow her on Instagram to see more.
Emerging contemporary artists around the world: Jennifer Rose Sciarrino. Courtesy Photo.
9. Crystal Z Campbell
Crystal Z Campbell is a multidisciplinary artist, working in film, painting, performance, writing, sound, installation, and other mediums. Public secrets are a recurring motif in their work. They’re fascinated by the idea of information that may be known by some but not all. And that may go unexplained. Recently works have centered Henrietta Lacks, the Swedish landscape, and a Black activist theater in Brooklyn. They are the recipient of many art awards, and are a 2021 Guggenheim Fellow in Fine Arts. They are active on Instagram.
Emerging contemporary artists around the world: Crystal Z. Campbell. Courtesy Photo.
10. Guan Xiao
Based in Beijing, Guan Xiao is a sculptor whose work begins with everyday objects. She also works with video. When featured by Art Basel for her 2020 show, she described how she will combine found objects to create something totally new. She thinks of each piece as a creature with its own new identity. Her work has appeared in collections all around the world, most recently in Berlin gallery Kraupa-Tuskany Zeidler in a solo exhibition called, “Wake Up in a House Called Season.”
Emerging contemporary artists around the world: Guan Xiao. Courtesy Photo.
10 emerging contemporary artists to watch in 2022
That’s our list of 10 billiant emerging contemporary artists to watch – many of whom are women or of color or both – as the art world kicks into high gear for 2022. Who’s on your radar screen, dear reader?
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Abbie Martin Greenbaum grew up in New York City and currently lives in Brooklyn, where she drinks a lot of coffee and matches roommates together for a living. At Oberlin College, she studied English and Cinema, which are still two of her favorite things, along with dessert and musical theater. She believes in magic.
