Vertical Gallery to Feature Ben Frost Solo Show at SCOPE Miami

The presentation of Ben Frost’s first solo show at SCOPE Miami is a groundbreaking event for Vertical Gallery.

The gallery is known for its dedication to graffiti and graphic design artists. And this opportunity to bring one of their most prolific artists to the famed Miami art fair is a big step.

We looked into the history of this exciting artist and gallery. Plus, we’ve got the details on the SCOPE fair, so you can check it out for yourself.

Let’s go!

About Vertical Gallery

Established in April 2013 and situated in the Ukrainian Village neighborhood, Vertical Gallery (VG) is Chicago’s premier urban-contemporary art showroom. 

It focuses on work influenced by street art, graffiti, pop culture, and urban environments. The gallery has helped numerous artists move on to showcase at significant art venues and museums worldwide.

With a reputation for high-quality exhibitions, the VG features group and solo shows or unique collections such as skateboard deck art. One of the exciting features of the gallery is that they’ve made a point to showcase work with various price points.

The Vertical Gallery even established payment plans to ensure that anyone can get their hands on world-class art. This helped build a broad collector base.

The VG has two Chicago locations, one on Western Avenue in the West Town area and the other on Chicago Avenue. You can view and purchase past and current work either in the gallery spaces or on their website.

What is the SCOPE Art Show?

Founded by artist Alexis Hubshman, the SCOPE art fair began as an international exhibition of 28 galleries, curators, and art organizations. Each exhibitor featured one emerging artist. The first art fair took place at New York’s Gershwin Hotel.

SCOPE Art Show is celebrated as the premier showcase for emerging artists and has held over 85 art shows in its history.

Famous for its incredible ability to forecast new visual trends internationally, the show has gained critical acclaim, with millions attending and art valued in the billions. 

SCOPE expanded the New York show in 2004 to feature 65 international exhibitors. In addition to the Miami, New York, and Los Angeles fairs, producers created a London show the same year. 

The team added shows in the Hamptons and Venice to the program in 2005, and SCOPE Basel premiered in 2007. 

This year, Vertical Gallery is bringing Ben Frost to the Miami SCOPE fair.

Who Is Ben Frost?

Born in Brisbane, Australia, Ben Frost is a contemporary pop artist. After graduating from the Queensland College of Art, he eventually got his big break when he was 27. 

The Sydney Museum of Contemporary Art chose Frost for their showcase entitled Primavera: Young Artists Under 35. This opportunity launched his career of irreverent, pop-inspired paintings, prints, and merchandise. 

Ben’s work is mainly satire of contemporary consumer culture. His niche is redesigning prescription drug packaging with images of famous cartoon characters. He then overlays them with popular iconography. 

His work hasn’t been without controversy. His work was stolen by right-wing groups and slashed with a knife at an exhibition. Additionally, complaints from the Australian Broadcast Tribunal prompted an investigation by the police.

For the past two decades, Frost’s art has been presented internationally. He lives and works in Melbourne, Australia, where he shares a studio with his fashion designer partner, Nixi Killick.

Tell Me About SCOPE Miami 2022

The SCOPE art show in Miami Beach, Florida, is having its 18th show in 2022, and Ben Frost will be there. With nearly 140 exhibitors from around the globe, the fair expects over 60,000 visitors to view the displayed works.

The show is in the Bespoke Pavillion at 801 Ocean drive at the corner of 8th street. The show is held annually in December and is open for five days. 

General admission is priced at $40. Additionally, there are Platinum first view and VIP preview tickets available for $150 and $200, respectively.

The art mediums you’ll find at the SCOPE art fair are paintings, sculptures, and installations. People sometimes describe Installation artworks as environments. They often occupy an entire room the spectator has to walk through to fully appreciate the art.

The willingness to take chances on artists is the hallmark of the SCOPES visionary brand. Over the years, the fair has continued to be a haven for new artists to thrive and grow. This approach has influenced other galleries to follow a similar path.

Has Ben Frost Exhibited at SCOPE Before?

Ben Frost has taken part in several SCOPE art fairs in the past. The most recent was his presentation of #Frostworldproblems at the 2018 Miami show. This collection featured over 120 new paintings and limited edition prints and stencil editions.

He also had an exhibition at the 2017 Miami show, where he displayed his Retail Therapy installation. This was the most extensive presentation of Frost’s work at the Miami Art Fairs. This exhibit showed over 100 new original works plus two new print releases.

Additionally, in March 2018, Ben showcased his Frost vs Penny at the Scope show at the Krause Gallery in New York. 

These shows all feature Frost’s kaleidoscopic Pop Art. The mash-up paintings take inspiration from areas as diverse as graffiti, collage, photo-realism, and sign-writing.

However, this is Ben’s first solo show at SCOPE.

A Bright Future for the Art World

Ben Frost‘s solo show is an excellent example of how SCOPE brings together a range of galleries and artists. The Vertical Gallery is just one of the many galleries represented at the show. So it’s easy to picture the art extravaganza found inside its doors. 

We love that Frost is finally getting a solo show at SCOPE and look forward to seeing more from him in the future!