1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair is excited to make a welcome return to Somerset House with its flagship edition over the course of four days from October 13 through October 16, 2022, as it celebrates its tenth anniversary in London (Press Preview 13 October). 1-54 London 2022 will feature 50 international exhibitors from 21 nations, which is the most countries it has ever hosted as the premier international art market devoted to contemporary art from Africa and the African diaspora.
14 galleries will exhibit at the fair's London edition for the first time, and 17 of the 50 international exhibitors are from the African continent. Albertz Benda from New York, USA, Berntson Bhattacharjee Gallery from London, UK, Galleria Poggiali from Milan, Italy, Portas Vilaseca Galeria from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Selebe Yoon from Dakar, Senegal, and Unit London from London, UK are among the newcomers to the event.
Over 130 artists working in a variety of mediums, from painting and sculpture to mixed media and installation, will be showcased by new and returning exhibitors. Works by well-known artists like Sola Olulode and Pedro Neves will be on display, as well as works by up-and-coming artists like Hassan Hajjaj, Zanele Muholi, and Ibrahim El-Salahi.
The internationally acclaimed installation O Barco / The Boat by multidisciplinary artist Grada Kilomba, based in Lisbon, will be displayed in Somerset House's courtyard from September 29 to October 19, 2022. The 140 pieces that make up the remarkable 32-meter-long installation are arranged to resemble the lower "hold" of a former slave ship from Europe.
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The artist charred the blocks, which had poems painstakingly carved into their textural surfaces in 6 different languages. The piece asks the audience to think about lost histories and identities while directly addressing the history of European maritime expansion and colonization. Along with its sculptural components, the artwork also has a live performance that combines song, music, and dance. Award-winning author and musician Kalaf Epalanga produced the music for the piece.
O Barco / The Boat is given new significance by the live ensemble, which was created and conducted by the artist. This new interpretation both honors the past and looks to the future. On October 13 and 15, 2022, Kilomba's installation, which will be making its UK debut, will be on display with free ticketed performances during 1-54. Information about tickets will be available this fall.
In addition to 1-54 Forum, the fair's multidisciplinary schedule of talks, movies, performances, workshops, and readings that will be directed by Dr. Omar Kholeif, 1-54 London 2022 will be accompanied by a variety of additional projects and activities. This summer, the whole schedule will be revealed at a later time.
Touria El Glaoui, the founding director of 1-54, declares, "We are happy to celebrate 1-54 London's 10th anniversary with our flagship edition at Somerset House, where we have shown since our debut in 2013." With a spectacular courtyard artwork and performance by the gifted artist Grada Kilomba, this milestone will see a larger fair take up more space at Somerset House. I can't wait for the UK public to see this. Along with our devoted regulars who have traveled with us for the previous 10 years and without whom we would not be here, we are eager to welcome new galleries and artists.
The cooperation between 1-54 and Christie's, now in its third straight year, highlights the fair's strong and active engagement with the world's largest auction house. The partnership displays Christie's dedication to promoting modern African art to its international clientele and increasing the fair's exposure abroad.
Visitors can also browse, communicate with, and purchase from all of the galleries and artists online from 13 to 30 October at artsy.net/1-54 thanks to 1-54's long-standing collaboration with Artsy.
Participating Galleries List
(S)ITOR (Paris, France)
Golborne 50 (London, United Kingdom)
A. Fine. Art (London, United Kingdom and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia)
AFIKARIS (Paris, France)
Gallery Afriart (Kampala, Uganda)
Edmund Z. Benda (New York, United States of America)
Contemporary Berman (Johannesburg, South Africa)
Gallery Berntson Bhattacharjee (London, United Kingdom)
Circle Gallery of Art (Nairobi, Kenya)
Gallery Claire Oliver (New York, United States of America)
Gallery DADA (London, United Kingdom and Lagos, Nigeria)
Eddie Secci (Florence, Italy)
Gallery Fridman (New York, United States of America)
Anne de Villepoix Gallery (Paris, France)
Carole Kvasnevski Gallery (Paris, France)
La La Lande Gallery (Paris, France)
Véronique Rieffel Gallery (Grand-Bassam, Ivory Coast)
Anna Marra Galleria (Rome, Italy)
Poggiali Galleria (Milan, Florence, Italy)
Picture 1957 (Accra, Ghana)
Exhibition Nosco (Marseille, France)
Brazil's So Paulo HOA Galeria
HUSSENOT (Paris, France)
Bell Gallery, Jack (London, United Kingdom)
Gallery of Kalashnikovv (Johannesburg, South Africa)
Projects by Kanbi (Hertfordshire, United Kingdom)
Gallery of Kristin Hjellegjerde (London, United Kingdom, Berlin, Germany, and Nevlunghavn, Norway)
21 L'Atelier (Casablanca, Morocco)
Loeve&Co (Paris, France)
Loft Gallery of Art (Casablanca, Morocco)
Gallery LouiSimone Guirandou (Abidjan, Ivory Coast)
Gallery Luce (Torino, Italy)
Gallery Montoro12 (Brussels, Belgium)
Gallery 0 (Paris, France)
Halloween Gallery (London, United Kingdom)
Galeria Portas Vilaseca (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
Marella Primo Gallery (Milan, Italy)
rhizome (Algiers, Algeria)
Gallery Richard Saltoun (London, United Kingdom and Rome, Italy)
Sakhile&Me (Frankfurt, Germany)
Yoon Selebe (Dakar, Senegal)
Gallery Selma Feriani (London, United Kingdom and Tunis, Tunisia)
