The 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair is the leading international art fair dedicated to showcasing the diversity of contemporary art and cultural production from Africa. Having established itself at the forefront of the rapidly emerging contemporary art market in Africa and the diaspora with two successful editions in London, the fair recently made its way to New York. Have a look at ARTsouthAFRICA’s visual overview of the event!
ABOVE: Image courtesy of Susan Grant Lewin Associates. Photograph ©Katrina Sorrentino.
This third edition of 1:54, which took place from May 15–17, 2015, featured a selection of participating galleries displaying a wide range of works that spanned several diverse mediums, including painting, sculpture, photography, and installation.
In total, the fair showcased 16 selected galleries, hailing from global territories such as South Africa, Nigeria, Morocco, France, Belgium, Italy, Germany, the UK, and the USA. You can have a look at an overview of the galleries from African countries, compiled by ARTsouthAFRICA, here.
Between them, the galleries displayed the work of over 60 artists, from established names like Kentridge, Baloji and Keïta to emerging and rising-to-fame artists such as Omar Victor Diop, Billie Zangewa, ruby onyinyechi amanze and Jim Chuchu.
1:54 is also brought with it to New York its program of talks, panels, FORUM (curated by Koyo Kouoh, Artistic Director of RAW Material in Senegal). The critical conversation series sought to re-examine present and future notions of 21st century African diasporic identities as traversed, negotiated and performed in the arenas of intellectual, cultural, and artistic practices. Special focus was given to important voices active in these fields across the last 35 years, including international curators, scholars, artists, and other leading professionals.
ABOVE: Image courtesy of Susan Grant Lewin Associates. Photograph ©Katrina Sorrentino.
The list of exhibitors and artists was as follows:
EXHIBITORS: A Palazzo Gallery, Brescia | Afronova, Johannesburg | Art Twenty One, Lagos | ARTCO Gallery, Aachen | Axis Gallery, New York | Bennett Contemporary, Cape Town | CIRCA Gallery, Johannesburg | David Krut Projects, New York | Galerie Cécile Fakhoury, Abidjan | Jack Bell Gallery, London | Magnin-A, Paris | Mariane Ibrahim Gallery, Seattle |NOMAD Gallery, Brussels |Primo Marella Gallery, Milan | SMAC Gallery, Cape Town |VOICE Gallery, Marrakech.
ARTISTS: (1:54 NY presented a total of 68 artists, who are originally from the African continent or practicing there. They are listed according to the gallery that represents them)
A Palazzo Gallery: Edson Chagas, Ibrahim Mahama
Afronova: Bille Zangewa, Lawrence Lemaoana, Lebohang Kganye
Art Twenty One: Gérard Quenum, Olu Amoda
ARTCO Gallery: Bruce Clarke, Daniel Blom, Owusu-Ankomah, Ransome Stanley, Richard Mudariki, Toyin Loye
Axis Gallery: Bobson Sukhdeo Mohanlall, Bright Ugochukwu Eke, Sammy Baloji, Theo Eshetu
Bennett Contemporary: Conrad Botes
CIRCA Gallery: Wayne Barker
David Krut Projects: William Kentridge
Galerie Cécile Fakhoury: Aboudia, Cheikh Ndiaye, François-Xavier Gbré, Paul Sika, Vincent Michéa
Jack Bell Gallery: Aboudia, Armand Boua, Boris Nzebo, Hamidou Maiga, Leonce Raphael Agbodjelou
Magnin-A: Abu Bakarr Mansaray, Amadou Sanogo, Calixte Dakpogan, Chéri Samba, Frédéric Bruly Bouabré, Gonçalo Mabunda, J.D. Okhai Ojeikere, Jean-Paul Mika, Joël Andrianomearisoa, John Goba Kura Shomali, Malick Sidibé, Monsengo Shula, Nathalie Boutté, Omar Victor Diop, Pathy Tshindele, Romuald Hazoumè, Seydou Keïta
Mariane Ibrahim Gallery: Ayana V. Jackson, Fabrice Monteiro, Jean-Claude Moschetti, Jim Chuchu, Maïmouna Guerresi, ruby onyinyechi amanze, Soly Cissé
NOMAD Gallery: Lavar Munroe
Primo Marella Gallery: Abdoulaye Konaté, Joël Andrianomearisoa, Nidhal Chamekh, Vitshois Mwilambwe Bondo
SMAC Gallery: Asha Zero, Barend de Wet, Peter E Clarke
VOICE Gallery: Eric van Hove, Leila Alaoui, Megumi Matsubara, Rim Battal, Younès Baba-Al
ABOVE: Conrad Botes installing his work in the Bennett Contemporary booth. Images courtesy of Susan Grant Lewin Associates. Photographs ©Katrina Sorrentino.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Installation view; Lavar Munroe, Self portrait after being stoned, caped, masked and fed exotic fruit, 2015, Marker, spray paint, latex house paint, fabric paint, found paper, and stickers on cut paper. Courtesy of NOMAD Gallery; installation view of NOMAD Gallery booth. Images courtesy of Susan Grant Lewin Associates. Photographs ©Katrina Sorrentino.
LEFT TO RIGHT: Installation view of David Krut Booth; William Kentridge, Universal Archive (Ref 23), 2012, Linocut printed on non-archive dictionary pages from Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, Edition of 30. Courtesy of David Krut Projects. Images courtesy of Susan Grant Lewin Associates. Photographs ©Katrina Sorrentino.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Ransome Stanley, Talk, 2015, Oil on canvas. Courtesy of ARTCO Gallery; installation view of ARTCO booth; Armand Boua, Groupe de jeune n1, 2014, Acrylic on cardboard. Courtesy of Jack Bell Gallery; installation view of Jack Bell Gallery booth. Images courtesy of Susan Grant Lewin Associates. Photographs ©Katrina Sorrentino.
LEFT TO RIGHT: Installation view; 17_Ayana V. Jackson, Does the brown paper bag test really exist_ Will my father be proud, 2013. Archival pigment print. Courtesy of Mariane Ibrahim Gallery. Images courtesy of Susan Grant Lewin Associates. Photographs ©Katrina Sorrentino.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Installtion view of Axis Gallery booth; 1:54 fair guide; Sammy Baloji, Raccord #5, Mine à ciel ouvert noyée de Banfora, ‘Kolwezi’ Series, 2011, Digital Inkjet Print. Edition of 5 + 2A.P. Courtesy of the artist and Axis Gallery, NY. Images courtesy of Susan Grant Lewin Associates. Photographs ©Katrina Sorrentino.
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Installtion view of Magnin-A booth; Chéri Samba, L’employeur et l’employé, 2013, Acrylic and glitter on canvas. Courtesy of Magnin-A; Nathalie Boutté, Ruby, 2015, Paper and ink on canvas, Courtesy of Magnin-A; Calixte Dakpogan, Ayissoun, 2011,
Plastic, copper, glass, iron, forelock, Courtesy of Magnin-A. Images courtesy of Susan Grant Lewin Associates. Photographs ©Katrina Sorrentino.
