Junkanoo dance performance during the 2025 edition of the fair
Whether they be artists, collectors, gallerists, or art lovers, visitors at the FUZE Art Fair always have at least one thing in common: an eagerness to celebrate Caribbean visual culture. Luckily, FUZE encourages just that.
Since 2023, the contemporary art fair has held annual editions at Baha Mar, a resort destination in the Caribbean. Last year, from October 22 to 26, 2025, guests had the chance to encounter more than 120 artists and galleries at FUZE, representing 21 countries. Even with such a global scope, the initiative maintains a Caribbean sensibility, providing a vibrant overview of the region’s creativity.
Participating artists included Lavar Munroe, a 2023 Guggenheim fellow whose work revolves around folklore, hybridity, utopia, and magic. Through his multidisciplinary practice grounded in mixed media painting, cardboard sculpture, and drawing, the Bahamian artist often explores his upbringing in the Bahamas in relation to his journeys across Africa, incorporating objects gifted from family or collected while traveling. Malene Barnett, on the other hand, contends with her African Caribbean heritage through textiles and ceramics, handcrafting pieces that vibrate with stunning patterns.
Aside from artists and galleries, FUZE offered countless hands-on events, including a straw craft workshop that emphasized traditional Bahamian aesthetics and craftsmanship. The fair even featured a Junkanoo dance performance, complete with exquisite garments layered with beads, feathers, crepe paper, cardboard, and other ornaments. The national cultural festival dates back to the 19th century and was brought to the Bahamas by enslaved Africans, fostering a sense of community, unity, pride, spirituality, and national identity.
“The costumes are prepared in ‘shacks,’ where practitioners display their craft and transmit their knowledge to younger generations,” UNESCO writes of the celebration on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. “Junkanoo is a celebration of creativity that refines the art of making beauty out of junk.”
Every year, FUZE coincides with the Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival, whose 2025 roster encompassed acclaimed chefs Marcus Samuelsson, Daniel Boulud, Dario Cecchini, and Scott Conant.
“In just three years, FUZE has evolved into a powerful platform, connecting Caribbean artists with fair attendees from around the world,” John Cox, executive director of arts and culture at Baha Mar, said in a statement. “The 2025 collection brings together a powerful and diverse range of voices, reinforcing the fair’s mission to celebrate fresh perspectives and groundbreaking work shaping the future of art in our region.”
FUZE Art Fair has not yet announced its dates for 2026. To learn more, visit Baha Mar’s website.
First launched in 2023, the FUZE Art Fair invites visitors to explore the rich culture that Caribbean visual art communities have to offer.
The 2025 edition of the fair at the Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival
Antonius Roberts, ‘Back to Back, Belly to Belly’
Work by Brooklyn-based artist Dapper Lou at the 2025 edition of the fair
Bahamian artist Jessica Whittingham at the 2025 FUZE Caribbean Art Fair
The 2025 edition of the fair was held at the Baha Mar resort from October 22 to 26.
Junkanoo dance performance during the 2025 edition of the fair
Scotiabank, the title sponsor for the 2025 FUZE Caribbean Art Fair, showcased its collection of Junkanoo-themed paintings by Bahamian artist Rolf Harris
A display of work presented by TERN Gallery at the 2025 edition of the fair
FUZE Art Fair: Website | Instagram
My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by FUZE Art Fair.
Related Articles:
How ‘The Other Art Fair’ Is Unlike Other Art Fairs [Interview]
Littlest Art Fair Spotlights Local Creatives on the Fringes of the Miami Art Scene [Interview]
Art Toronto Director Shares What We Can Expect From “Canada’s Art Fair” This Year [Interview]
