Contemporary African Artists Take on the Global Art Market in London

Apesar de tudo by Celestino Mudaulane is on display at the 1:54 Contemporary African Art in London. Image: Image: Courtesy of Galeria 111

ART FAIR| ART

1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair in London showed that African artists are forcefully inserting themselves into the global art space.

BY KAZEEM ADELEKE

At the just-concluded 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair in London, African-based contemporary artists and those in the diaspora presented their works to a global audience. The majority of the galleries that represented contemporary African artists were located in the western metropolises. However, several came from different countries across Africa. Working in different genres, the artists whose works appear in many of the shows and booths demonstrate amazing creativity. The artworks on display included paintings, photography, sculptures, and new media.

This year’s 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair in London included works by many young contemporary African artists. Nonetheless, there were also works by some of Africa’s most famous masters, including Ben Enwonwu, Ablade Glover, Malick Sidibé, and several others. Here are some of the artworks at the fair.