The Best Young Artists to Collect in 2021
Since 2013, every fall our curators scour the globe to publish their definitive list of promising up-and-coming artists you should know right now.
This year they’ve found 27 trailblazing emerging artists—many of whom have recently graduated from BFA and MFA programs—who represent the future of art today.
Curator Monty Preston discusses themes explored by this year’s class of Rising Stars artists.
Meet several of the 2021 Rising Stars artists, and hear the story behind their works.
Collect New Artwork by Rising Stars Alumni
Many of our Rising Stars alumni have gone on to achieve significant acclaim, making work that is part of public collections, exhibited internationally, and sought after by private collectors around the world. Discover and their collect their work below—while you still can.
Lorella Paleni
ALUMNI — 2013
Intruder, $10,600
Nina Mae Fowler
ALUMNI — 2013
A Fan of her Own Performance, $1,700
Felix Carr
ALUMNI — 2017
Everything That Accepts Us, Lifts Us Up, $3,460
Ioana Manolache
ALUMNI — 2015
Mother’s Knot I, $5,350
Julien Spianti
ALUMNI — 2014
Midi (from the serie ‘Demain la Veille’), $12,750
Ed Burkes
ALUMNI — 2016
Light Years, Limited Editions from $250
This Year’s Selection Committee
MEET OUR CURATORS
Our curators draw on more than 50 combined years of experience to identify recent graduates from the best art schools around the world who are on the rise and garnering international acclaim.
Rebecca Wilson
Chief Curator & VP Art Advisory, Saatchi Art
Rebecca Wilson was formerly a Director at the Saatchi Gallery, London, where she was instrumental in the launch of the gallery’s online presence. In 2007 she created New Sensations, a prize for art students which identifies and supports the most exciting emerging artists in the UK. Prior to joining the Saatchi Gallery, Rebecca worked for 14 years in book and art magazine publishing: she was editor of ArtReview, and before that deputy editor of Modern Painters.
Monty Preston
Manager of Art Advisory & Curation
Monty Preston graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Linguistics and Spanish Culture Studies from the University of Toronto, Canada. Prior to joining Saatchi Art in 2018, she worked at female-led, industry disrupting startups including Beauty Pie in London, where she managed content and creative, and The RealReal in San Francisco, where she specialized in luxury estate management with a focus on designer apparel and fine art. As an artist and photographer, Monty has collaborated with renowned talents in the fine art and fashion industries, providing her with the unique insight into the creative process that she brings to her curatorial practice.
Aurora Garrison
Associate Curator
Aurora Garrison has a B.A. in Art History and International Affairs from Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon and an M.A. in World Heritage Studies from the University of Turin in Italy. Prior to joining Saatchi Art in 2018, Aurora worked at auction houses, museums, and galleries, including Christie’s in San Francisco, the J. Paul Getty Museum, Paddle8, and Revolver Gallery in Los Angeles. With a focus in world heritage preservation and conservation, Aurora has presented research on protecting cultural heritage in times of conflict at academic conferences in the US and Italy.
Bethany Fincher
Assistant Curator
Bethany Fincher graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Art History and Philosophy from the College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina. Before joining Saatchi Art in 2019, she worked in myriad commercial gallery, museum, and editorial positions, including at the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art and Charleston Magazine, where she wrote on art and culture. With a background in aesthetics, she has presented research on innovative contemporary art practices at academic conferences across the United States.
Discover Past Classes
RISING STARS ALUMNI
Since the 2013 publication of our very first MFA graduate feature—formerly titled “Invest in Art”—many of the featured artists have gone on to achieve significant acclaim. Discover these talented artists by revisiting past editions of the guide.
EDITION 2020
EDITION 2019
EDITION 2018
EDITION 2017
