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Interview
Hayley River Smith: "Every Curatorial Proposal is a Window into Someone’s World"
FORM taks with the first-ever appointed Director of SCOPE Art Show about the energy of discovery, honesty, and "magic you can’t plan for"
Hayley River Smith
Image by Cearah Peck,
courtesy of SCOPE Art Show
intro
A cornerstone of Miami Art Week, the premier showcase and incubator for contemporary art, — these are just some of the definitions used to introduce SCOPE Art Show, a festival for emerging galleries and artists from around the world held for more than two decades at the sunny coast of Florida. Last year, a new figure appeared at its top managerial horizon — a Sotheby’s Institute of Art alumna and the former SCOPE’s Head of Communications Hayley River Smith, whose expertise in marketing, communication and multi-disciplinary programming across art, technology, and hospitality would certainly play their role and shaping SCOPE’s future. FORM Magazine has talked with the first-ever appointed Director of SCOPE Art Show about the energy of discovery and risk-taking, imperfection and honesty, and windows into other people’s worlds that would always remain "magic you can’t plan for".
SCOPE Art Show 2023
  • FORM Magazine
    Photography, as a medium, sometimes sits on the edge of fine art and commercial work. How do you see photography’s place within SCOPE’s programming? Is there a shift in how it’s being received by collectors, curators, and the general public?
    Hayley River Smith
    Photography has always had a home at SCOPE. Last year, our Founder Alexis Hubshman awarded the fair’s first-ever Founders Prize to photographer Bee Gats, represented by Mortal Machine Gallery. This is a recognition of both Bee’s creative vision and the medium’s increasing cultural weight.

    We’re seeing collectors, curators, and audiences respond to work that challenges, excites, documents, and disrupts. At SCOPE, we value photography as a medium that can carry both intimacy and urgency. Whether it’s large-format conceptual work or a series shot on a phone with grit and purpose, if it moves culture, we’re paying attention.
  • FORM Magazine
    The fair is known for its energy and risk-taking ethos. Could you share a moment from your time at SCOPE when taking a chance truly paid off—whether in programming, partnerships, or artist selection?
    Hayley River Smith
    Some of our boldest decisions have come through the large-scale installations we bring to the fair each year. Whether it’s an impactful photo project from Jeremy Pope, a 25-foot horse sculpture by BK Adams presented by Claire Oliver Gallery, or an immersive light and sound installation by Lua Brice, we approach each with care, adaptability, and genuine excitement. These aren’t just visual spectacles, they’re conversations waiting to happen.

    With that comes a responsibility: to collaborate thoughtfully with our partners, galleries. Taking these chances means embracing unknowns but it pays off when we see people pause in front of a piece, pull out their phones not just to post, but to remember, to feel. That’s the kind of connection we’re chasing. These installations shift the energy of the entire show, and often spark dialogue that continues beyond the 6 days in Miami Beach.
Claire Oliver Gallery defines BK Adams' monumental work — "The Messenger: Time" - as "a large-scale steel sculpture showcasing the artist's iconic blue horse. This three-story tall public installation will serve as a beacon of artistic inspiration in Louisville, referencing the city’s history as a manufacturing hub and also the home of the world-renowned Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs."

The impressive 7-meters' tall horse is made of steel and draped with 130 clocks, where a saddle would rest, symbolizing our relationship with the constant passage of time and standing, as the gallery defines it, "as a testament to self-reliance and empowerment."
  • FORM Magazine
    "Discovery" is one of the words frequently mentioned in connection with SCOPE’s vision. What, do you think, has the contemporary art world discovered thanks to SCOPE’s decades of work?
    Hayley River Smith
    I think the art world has discovered, through SCOPE, that innovation emerges from the risk-takers and often voices that are just beginning to be heard. SCOPE has always been about championing those artists and platforms early, and providing them with a space where their work doesn’t just exist, but resonates.
  • FORM Magazine
    And what have you discovered about the art world—and yourself—as someone managing such a dynamic and complex platform?
    Hayley River Smith
    I have learned that being a part of a show of this scale requires both structure and surrender. You build systems, yes, but you also have to leave room for the unexpected. Every curatorial proposal is a window into someone’s world. There’s real magic in the moments you can’t plan for. Discovery, for me, isn’t just a concept, it’s a practice. It’s what keeps SCOPE dynamic, and what keeps us inspired year after year.
Form Galerie, SCOPE Art Show 2024
  • FORM Magazine
    We are about to launch a photography contest whose winners will have the chance to be presented at SCOPE 2025. What should applicants keep in mind when preparing their submissions? Which voices are more likely to be noticed today—and is it really necessary to meet those expectations?
    Hayley River Smith
    Lead with honesty. We’re drawn to work that feels urgent, unfiltered, and personal. Yes, technical skill matters but so does soul. Right now, we’re seeing strong responses to photography that explores place, identity, and the complexities of digital and cultural life. But more than anything, we’re looking for work that feels real and true to the artist behind it. If you’re making work because you have to and that’s what we want to see.

    We’re not looking for perfection. We’re looking for presence. Some of the most successful artists we’ve shown are the ones who made work completely outside the rules. That’s the kind of work that shifts perspective and brings something different to the table.

Check out the news of Miami Beach 2025 held on December 2 - 7, 2025. The virtual tour around the previous edition here.
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