Yasmil Raymond returns for her second year as curator of Art Basel Miami Beach’s Meridians sector, focusing on showcasing a more diverse group of artists and providing opportunities for newcomers. She highlights several works, including Huang Yong Ping’s political sculpture referencing a US spy plane incident, Stephanie Syjuco’s critique of Western culture through a photography-studio installation, Ward Shelley’s post-truth library, Jesús Rafael Soto’s immersive Pénétrable, Luisa Rabbia’s feminist reimagining of a labor strike painting, and Anne Samat’s woven family portrait made from thrift-store objects.
This year’s Meridians matters because it deliberately amplifies female artists and first-time exhibitors, positioning the sector as an accessible entry point for emerging talent at one of the world’s most influential art fairs. Raymond’s curation also underscores how contemporary art can engage with urgent political and social themes—from diaspora and cultural identity to reproductive rights and capitalism—demonstrating the fair’s role in shaping broader cultural conversations.