Scottsdale, a luxurious oasis in Arizona just a stone’s throw from Phoenix, has made its official entry into the world of major art fairs with the first edition of the Ferrari Art Week. An event in the heart of the desert is changing the artistic landscape of the Southwest.
From March 20 to 23, 2025, over 15,000 visitors and more than 100 international and local galleries brought to life an event that blends collecting, indigenous culture, and lifestyle, marking a turning point for the American art scene in the desert.
The ambitious debut in the international fair circuit in Scottdale
The chosen location, Westworld in Scottsdale, hosted high-profile galleries such as de Sarthe (Hong Kong and Scottsdale), Lisa Sette Gallery (Phoenix), and the New York design dealer Lillian Nassau. The goal was not only to showcase quality art but to build a local artistic ecosystem in one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States.
Michael Plummer, already founder of TEFAF New York and former executive of Christie’s, led the development of the fair together with the founders Trey Brennen and Jason Rose. “We wanted to follow the rules of the art world, but with a more open, inclusive, and community-oriented spirit,” explained Plummer.
Scottsdale: an emerging art market
With about 14,000 millionaire residents, a constant real estate boom and a favorable tax climate, Scottsdale represents fertile ground for collezionismo of art. “It is my belief that fairs should meet new collectors, not wait for them in the usual places,” said Plummer. “This fair was a test of that theory.”
And the results seem to prove him right: the de Sarthe gallery, active in Scottsdale since 2022, has sold several works by Chinese artists Zhong Wei and Ma Sibo, with prices between 20,000 and 30,000 dollars, to a clientele composed of 50% new collectors, also coming from other states.
“There is not yet a great market, but many valid collectors and a growing energy. This week really marked a turning point,” stated Vincent de Sarthe, director of the local office.
Indigenous art at the center of the narrative
One of the most innovative elements of the event was the focus on contemporary indigenous art, in line with the cultural composition of Arizona, which hosts the third largest Native American population in the United States.
The Lisa Sette Gallery, active for 40 years, has exhibited seven works by the artist Benjamin Timpson (Puebloan), created with butterfly wings and dedicated to the theme of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW). The works also served as a backdrop for an indigenous fashion show during the vernissage.
“There is a new and growing attention for indigenous art. 75% of this week’s sales came from new customers,” said Lisa Sette.
“Desert Modernism” and the tribute to the creativity of the Southwest
The collateral exhibition Desert Modernism, curated by the Diné artist Tony Abeyta, combined architecture and art in a journey that spanned from the ’30s to the ’80s, with works by Fritz Scholder (Luiseno), Frank Lloyd Wright, Charles Loloma (Hopi), and Paolo Soleri.
The public program included talks on how to collect art, fotografia and sports memorabilia, as well as a lecture on the gallerist Elaine Horowitch, a pioneer of the regional art scene.
Talk, inclusivity and community
Great emphasis has been given to indigenous artists and curators: Amber-Dawn Bear Robe held a talk on the MMIW crisis and its impact on contemporary art, while Diné artist Melissa Cody and muralist Thomas “Breeze” Marcus (O’odham, Ponca) discussed the new frontiers of native art in the urban context.
Latin American and Caribbean communities, which represent over 30% of Arizona’s population, have also been protagonists of round tables and targeted installations.
The future for Scottsdale? An Art Basel in the desert?
With a more festive than elitist approach, the Ferrari Art Week has laid the foundations for an innovative model of art fair, capable of attracting new audiences, enhancing local cultures, and stimulating the creative economy.
“We wanted to broaden the definition of ‘art’, making it accessible and representative of the communities of the area,” concluded Plummer.
The message is clear: Scottsdale does not just want to host art, it wants to make it come alive. And with this initial momentum, it could soon become the new reference point for American contemporary art in the Southwest.
Social media manager at The Cryptonomist
