Amid political divisions, joy and reflection leads Prizm Art Fair at Miami Art Week
By Wilkine Brutus
December 1, 2025 at 6:00 AM EST
Molded by the early pandemic, nationwide social protests and unrest, and rising political divisions around the world, Prizm Art Fair’s theme The Brighter Side of the Moon emerged from moments of upheaval.
Founder Mikhaile Solomon, born in Miami to parents from St. Kitts–Nevis, says the fair, which returns Dec. 2 to Miami Art Week for its 13th season, invites artists to “critique norms” while making space for shared joy.
“At the core of that is interrogating those things so we can get to the joy and the happiness," Solomon told WLRN. ”And resolving those difficult things that make it difficult for us to consistently access our joint happiness.”
Founded in 2013 with “$5,000 and community support,” Prizm now features both virtual and in-person events with about 25 contemporary artists from across the African Diaspora showcasing what joy looks like to them.
A keynote panel and a special HBCU collaboration with Howard University and Florida A&M University is the final touch.
READ MORE: Haiti makes its first World Cup return in 52 years, as Curaçao also makes history
Title: The Passage Between Worlds| By Mathieu JN Baptiste | Media: Acrylic/ Oil and ink on panel<br/>Dimensions: 36x48 | Year of Production: 2025<br/> (2000x1472, AR: 1.358695652173913)
The art fair promotes a strong emphasis on contemporary trends and cultural impact within the global art scene, exploring resistance, identity, and the transformation of social spaces.
Solomon, who has a background in architecture, theater, and design, said discussions will center around a number of art and business topics, including how people can survive beyond the commodification of Black culture — where Black cultural elements are often turned into products to be bought and sold, often by non-Black people, and exploiting the culture for profit while stripping its original meaning.
“Black culture is this thing that everybody wants to be a part of and experience. And it's been commoditized and monetized by people that aren't Black, to be quite frank,” Solomon said.
She said community fairs during Miami Art Week and Art Basel should be able to help art aficionados not only embrace human joy and the universal love for artist expressions but to also “look beyond the commoditization.”
IF YOU GO
What: Prizm Art Fair
When: Tuesday, December 2nd through Saturday, December 6th
Where: Ice Palace Studios, located at 59 NW 14th Street, Miami, FL
More details here
Founder Mikhaile Solomon, born in Miami to parents from St. Kitts–Nevis, says the fair, which returns Dec. 2 to Miami Art Week for its 13th season, invites artists to “critique norms” while making space for shared joy.
“At the core of that is interrogating those things so we can get to the joy and the happiness," Solomon told WLRN. ”And resolving those difficult things that make it difficult for us to consistently access our joint happiness.”
Founded in 2013 with “$5,000 and community support,” Prizm now features both virtual and in-person events with about 25 contemporary artists from across the African Diaspora showcasing what joy looks like to them.
A keynote panel and a special HBCU collaboration with Howard University and Florida A&M University is the final touch.
READ MORE: Haiti makes its first World Cup return in 52 years, as Curaçao also makes history
Title: The Passage Between Worlds| By Mathieu JN Baptiste | Media: Acrylic/ Oil and ink on panel<br/>Dimensions: 36x48 | Year of Production: 2025<br/> (2000x1472, AR: 1.358695652173913)
The art fair promotes a strong emphasis on contemporary trends and cultural impact within the global art scene, exploring resistance, identity, and the transformation of social spaces.
Solomon, who has a background in architecture, theater, and design, said discussions will center around a number of art and business topics, including how people can survive beyond the commodification of Black culture — where Black cultural elements are often turned into products to be bought and sold, often by non-Black people, and exploiting the culture for profit while stripping its original meaning.
“Black culture is this thing that everybody wants to be a part of and experience. And it's been commoditized and monetized by people that aren't Black, to be quite frank,” Solomon said.
She said community fairs during Miami Art Week and Art Basel should be able to help art aficionados not only embrace human joy and the universal love for artist expressions but to also “look beyond the commoditization.”
IF YOU GO
What: Prizm Art Fair
When: Tuesday, December 2nd through Saturday, December 6th
Where: Ice Palace Studios, located at 59 NW 14th Street, Miami, FL
More details here