MOSES SALIHOU is a Cameroonian artist based in Toronto whose thick, tactile application of paint creates a textural intensity that mirrors the layered complexities of the human spirit. Central to Salihou’s practice is his belief that human beings are composites of identities, experiences, beliefs, memories, and emotions. His gestural mark-making intentionally leaves facial features loosely rendered, allowing the portraits to become composites of many rather than the likeness of one. In this way, the viewer is not a passive witness but is invited to participate to recognize, interpret, and locate themselves inside the work. These rich surface effects provide Salihou’s paintings with dynamism, movement, and depth capturing the fluidity of identity and personhood. His works vibrate with presence. Salihou has exhibited throughout the United States and Canada, and his work is held in private collections globally including Europe, New Zealand, Africa, Asia, Canada, and the United States. In 2025, Salihou had a sold-out presentation at EXPO Chicago, showcased at Scope Art Show and 1-54 African Contemporary Art Fair NYC in 2026. In addition, his work was featured in Art in America printed edition of 2025, marking a powerful critical milestone in his career. O’Neil Scott is a Philadelphia-based artist, born in Spanish Town, Jamaica whose practice is rooted in portraiture. Influenced early by his grandfather and uncle, both of whom pursued creative paths. Scott began drawing as a child, filling notebooks with characters both imagined and observed. Scott’s work is inspired by the Old Masters and contemporary realists alike. His transition from acrylic to oil paint marked a pivotal moment in his practice, allowing for greater depth, pliability, and exploration of complex narratives. Through his portraits, he engages with themes such as social justice, climate change, immigration and subjects that speak to both personal truth and collective urgency. In 2025, Scott debuted his first solo museum large scale works exhibition at the Zillman Art Museum (University of Maine) in Bangor, Maine, a milestone that showcased the breadth of his evolving work and his commitment to storytelling through a Black diasporic lens. His work has also been exhibited at the National Gallery of Jamaica and featured in IN FOCUS at the Morris Museum. He has presented work at leading art fairs including SCOPE Art Show, and EXPO CHICAGO. At the core of his paintings is a desire to invoke mindfulness, inspire contemplation, and foster deeper understanding of the human condition. Scott’s work has been exhibited with notable galleries, and his paintings are part of esteemed corporate collections as well as private collections both in the U.S. and internationally.
