The Africa 1-54 contemporary African art fair has just concluded in London, in the same week as the capital’s biggest art fairs, Frieze London and Frieze Masters. The city was absolutely heaving with international art lovers and events despite a worrying global art market slump. So how is African art holding up in this context of enthusiasm mixed with challenges?
Now in its 13th year, Africa 1-54 fair has expanded since the “Africa Rising” economic narrative of the early 2010s saw African political and cultural capital ascend globally. This year’s London edition took over all of Somerset House, showcasing the fair’s staying power, and its value for artists and gallerists with meaningful sales.
Art dealer Ed Cross says that “1-54 London has become something of an institution now. It is a much-loved part of the London scene, and a highlight for many collectors. This year is another strong edition in challenging times.”
David Hill, owner of his eponymous gallery, says: “There is a wonderful energy at 1-54, with knowledgeable, engaged visitors keen to learn more about the works shown.”
This edition had art from five continents, with a strong showing from Africa itself. A significant presence once more from Nigeria with galleries Affinity, O’DA Art and SOTO. SA also had strong representation from Afronova Gallery, Eclectica Contemporary, FILAFRIQUES and Guns & Rain, representing artists such as Alice Mann, Reggie Khumalo and Boemo Diale.
Spier Arts Trust CEO Mirna Wessels explains that the fair was founded because African artists were being excluded from the global art market, and it has succeeded in correcting this.
Frank Schönau, founder and director of Cape Town’s THK Gallery, says: “There’s a maturity to 1-54 this year. You can feel a confidence in the galleries and how the artists are being positioned. Less need to ‘explain’ or contextualise, and more emphasis on the work standing on its own terms.” He says that “1-54 has been instrumental in shifting the global perception of African contemporary art from being a niche focus to an integrated part of the international conversation. It has created a dedicated collector base and become both a meeting point and a measuring stick for how the continent’s creative economies are evolving.”
Hannah O’Leary, the senior adviser of modern and contemporary African Art at auctioneer Sotheby’s, says that many galleries have refined their curatorial voices, “showing artists in greater depth while still reflecting the incredible diversity of African creativity”.
Indeed, I saw a lot of high-quality work on offer on Day 1, and a real crowd-pleaser this year was Otuo Dance III by Simon Richard Ojeaga at O’DA Art, which many people told me to go have a look at, and which the Spier Arts Trust team also loved. Spier Arts Trust also raved about Chasing the Sun by Justin Dingwall at Eclectica Contemporary and Map of Eternity by Tiemar Tegene of Circle Art Agency.
I personally loved the breathtaking portraits of Syrian-Egyptian artist Hend Adnan’s daughter — Stuck in the Web; Embracing the Web and At the Threshold of the Web — at Egypt’s Gallery Misr.
O’Leary particularly enjoyed the group presentations at October Gallery and Gallery 1957, but “if I could take something home … it might be a piece by Amina Agueznay at Loft Gallery, who will represent Morocco at the Venice Biennale next year, or one of my perennial favourites, Ibrahim El-Salahi, shown at Vigo Gallery”. But she says that the 1-54 Forum is also important, because education, dialogue and knowledge-sharing are essential to the continued growth of the African art market.
I made the time to attend the forum on day 2, when I listened to a panel about the sustainability of African art institutions, hosted by Dakar’s RAW Material Company. I learnt that a lack of funding and insufficient staff remains a problem — leading to burnout for founders, as spaces strain to remain globally competitive.
So, amid the exuberance there are some stark realities and headwinds. Many galleries and auction houses worldwide are posting major profit downturns. The African market, though still scaling from a lower base, is not as correlated to the current global risk dynamics. It has its own idiosyncratic factors, cultural affirmation and collector base, which provide resilience.
“The art world is recalibrating everywhere right now. There’s a cooling in speculative buying and a renewed focus on quality, provenance and long-term value. In that sense, 1-54 is holding steady,” says Schönau.
As such, the THK Gallery director believes that for artists, the fair remains an unparalleled opportunity to gain visibility with serious curators and collectors who are genuinely engaged. “The returns might be slower in a cautious global market, but they’re more sustainable,” he says.
Cross echoes this view. “African art is not immune from the general art market malaise, but excellent work will always rise above the issues in the market. There are always opportunities in adversity and in times like these society depends on artists to help shine a path through.”
O’Leary explains that the African art market has thankfully not been overinflated, “so it hasn’t been affected to the same degree as other sectors. At Sotheby’s, we’re beginning to see some encouraging ‘green shoots’ across the market, signs that we’re climbing out of the recent dip.”
In an art world adjusting to new market realities, Africa 1-54 remains a consistent and credible platform for contemporary African art. This year’s edition reinforced the fair’s role as both a commercial and cultural benchmark, one that reflects the continent’s growing influence and confidence within the global art landscape.
