September has arrived, and with it, a very different fall season for the art world. But much to our collective joy, there is still a flurry of actual openings happening in person and, of course, virtually. Alongside shows of blue-chip and older art are a slate of presentations by emerging talents getting their first major outings.

If you’re hoping to discover some up-and-coming artists, we’ve handpicked six of them with shows worth exploring this month.

Ashley Doggett at David Lusk Gallery 

Ashley Doggett, Time to Think (2020). Courtesy of David Lusk Gallery.

Nashville-based painter Ashley Doggett paints figurative portraits that engage with themes of religion, race, and dissociation from historical narratives of white supremacy. Her paintings are grounded in Old Master portraiture while drawing on the influences of contemporary artists including Margaret Bowland, Kara Walker, and Kehinde Wiley. Her vividly colorful works recontextualize racial stereotypes and imagery of American slavery as a means of reclaiming and reconsidering historical narratives.

Ashley Doggett’s work is on view in “Heed,” at David Lusk Gallery online. 

Amir H. Fallah, “Khroma” at El Jundi Art Gallery

Amir H Fallah, Lovers in a Park (2016). Courtesy of El Jundi Art Gallery.

Amir H. Fallah depicts his figures under drapes of riotously patterned fabrics. We can only guess of the subjects’ identities as they lounge, make phone calls, and sometimes even play basketball under the covers (hands and legs peek out from the drapery here and there). The fabrics, which the artist renders as invariably colorful, act as a sort of stand-in for these figures’ identities and are a reminder of how materials can be used to telegraph both personality and history.

“Khroma” is on view at El Jundi Art Gallery in Málaga through October 4, 2020. 

Alexey Golovin, “The Real You” at Eclectic Gallery

Alexey Golovin, Day (2013). Courtesy of Eclectic Gallery.

Russian artist Alexey Golovin makes what could be considered contemporary Baroque paintings. He pictures ancient gods and goddesses in hyperreal detail posed against cinematic backgrounds. The drama is high with celestial backdrops and swirling sheaths of fabric acting as his preferred set pieces.  

“The Real You” is on view at Eclectic Gallery in London through October 7, 2020. 

Stephen James Harlan at Casanova Venetian Glass & Art

Stephen James Harlan, Along the Bay. Courtesy of Casanova Venetian Glass & Art.

Artist Stephen James Harlan draws his primary inspirations from waterways—everything from imaginary harbors to sunsets splintering against the ocean. His nocturnal scenes in particular are filled with reflections between sea and sky that captivate the eye and evocative colors that at first glance seem almost photographic.  

Stephen James Harlan’s work is on view at Casanova Venetian Glass & Art online.

Lorenz Friedrich, “All Is Flux” at re/space gallery

Lorenz Friedrich, Globuligolfer (2018). Courtesy of re|space gallery.

Austrian artist Lorenz Friedrich doesn’t go big, but rather very, very small. Friedrich sculpts miniature-sized wooden figures which he then carefully integrates into environments that serve as a kind of microcosm of an imagined world. His distinctive aesthetic is reinforced by his limited color palette. Rather than feeling awed by the artwork’s scope, the viewer can’t help but be charmed by the scale and new perspective it offers.

“All Is Flux” is on view at re|space gallery in Berlin through October 2, 2020. 

Yusuff Aina Abogunde in “Where We Dey Go Now” 

Yusuff Aina Abogunde, Myopic 3 (2020).

Nigerian artist Yusuff Aina Abogunde’s mixed-media works explore Blackness in the context of contemporary African culture. This virtual exhibition, curated by Brice Arsène Yonkeu, combines a number of the artist’s series—and the rallying title “Where We Dey Go Now” serves as both an open question and a call to action. The artist’s bold vision combines imagery from religion, Yoruba tradition, and pop culture that is at turns joyful and wrenching.

“Where We Dey Go Now” is on view virtually through September 20, 2020.