1-54 London Is Larger than Ever, Yet Maintains Its Tightly Knit Community

Many Londoners will know that, no matter how many times you visit Somerset House, getting lost within its labyrinthine corridors is inevitable. At the latest edition of 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, though, this fact is a source of discovery rather than frustration.

Returning to the neoclassical complex in central London for its 11th consecutive year, the fair—which specializes in work by artists of the African continent and its diaspora—is hosting its largest edition to date from October 12th through 15th (and on Artsy until October 29th). This year’s fair features 62 galleries, up from 47 the year before, with more than 170 artists from 31 countries represented.

“Over the past 11 years, numerous artists have had their international debut at our fair and are now established figures in the art market, and we hope to continue this as we enter our next decade,” said the fair’s founding director Touria El Glaoui.

And 1-54 feels like a bigger fair than ever. On the morning of its VIP day on Thursday, crowds began to swell around the reception area in the south wing of Somerset House, where El Glaoui was holding court. By lunchtime, a buzz had developed across the fair.

“London is very familiar with African artists and collectors [based] here who are very knowledgeable,” said Wunika Mukan, founder of her eponymous gallery, which is based in Lagos and Johannesburg. The gallery, which was founded in 2023, showcased a solo presentation of captivating monochrome paintings by Nigerian artist Victor Ubah, who was present.

One of Somerset House’s many gifts is its warren of spaces in which exhibitors can show works—a setting both expansive and intimate. Dropping in to visit a gallery is akin to going around someone’s house, and the friendliness of the environment is mirrored by the gallerists and artists who are present.

“We’ve made a lot of friendships over the years with galleries from around Africa,” said Sandra Mbanefo Obiago, founder of Lagos-based SMO Contemporary Art, which has participated in the fair since 2016 and brought a vibrant selection of paintings, sculpture, and mixed media works by Ayoola Gbolahan, Jill Berelowitz, and Victor Sonoiki. “There’s a community—we’re not just showcasing art, we’re also learning about artists,” Obiago added. “Many times we bring artists here so that they are also exposed. It’s about investing in people’s careers over time. That’s why we want to show a broad spectrum of artistic creativity from the continent.”

The importance of this sense of community, discovery, and openness is one that was reflected by many of the gallerists and attendees that Artsy spoke with across the VIP day. It’s also an ethos that 1-54 itself actively fosters, with a series of initiatives and programs that run over the course of the fair, all united by the aim of fostering contemporary dialogue and exchanges around African art.

The fair has once again partnered with Christie’s for an exhibition, “Transatlantic Connections: Caribbean Narratives in Contemporary Art,” at the auction house’s London headquarters, featuring artworks by eminent names such as Juan Carlos Alom, Sonia Elizabeth Barrett, and Sonia Boyce. Meanwhile, a series of installations across Somerset House by artists including Amine El Gotaibi and Theresah Ankomah invite visitors to engage with the environment of Somerset House.

“We love what they’re doing,” said Kwame Mintah, a co-founder of Dubai-based Efiɛ Gallery, which is one of 14 exhibitors making their debut at this year’s fair. “Being a global international fair that’s focused on Africa outside of Africa is important. It’s important to showcase what we’re doing and for people to focus on that. It creates a stronger narrative and it’s our narrative.”

Founded by the Ghanaian family of Valentina, Kwame, and Kobi Mintah, Efiɛ Gallery’s standout presentation features a selection of photographs by late Ghanaian artist J.K. Bruce-Vanderpuije from the early 20th century, alongside newer photographic works by Godelive Kasangati Kabena and Aïda Muluneh, in a striking mix that spans three generations. The ambiguous figures depicted in the photographs of Kasangati Kabena, who was born in 1996, announce the artist as a new, intriguing talent.

And it’s that newer generation of artists that are displayed in full voice across the fair. At Dada Gallery’s booth, meditative canvases by Jesse Akele are a revelation, alongside the more playful abstract works of Kwadwo A Asiedu and mixed-media resin wall pieces by Theresa Weber—a trio of artists on impressive trajectories.

Similarly, thoughtful photographic works by Mozambican artist Mário Macilau at MOVART’s stall showcase another artist going from strength to strength: Macilau has just won the Prix Roger Pic in France.

Other exceptional presentations—all by ultra-contemporary artists—include new works made from handmade paper, sisal, soil, acrylic, spray paint, and sap by Madagascan artist Temandrota at 50 Golborne; Ethiopian artist Kaleab Abate’s densely layered mixed-media works at Afriart Gallery; a series of splendid paintings of Black icons in the White House by Kingsley Ayogu at Eclectica Contemporary; Cydne Jasmin Coleby’s variegated canvases at Unit London; and inventively decolonial interpretations of biblical narratives by Brazilian artist Bertô at São Paulo gallery HOA.

Another Brazilian gallery, Portas Vilaseca Galeria also exhibited a display of hyperrealistic works by Gustavo Nazareno. Founder Jaime Portas Vilaseca was in strong spirits at the gallery’s bustling presentation, and noted that visitors were remarkably well-researched on his program. “We’re thinking of coming back next year and establishing more conversations with collectors and institutions,” he told Artsy.

By the sheer number of artists present at the fair, it was clear that they share the same communal spirit. At Affinity Art Gallery’s booth, sculptor Anne Adams was on hand to talk visitors through her anthropomorphic ceramic works that draw from colonial histories of the medium in Nigeria. Showing the works in the U.K. held a particular resonance for Adams, who emphasized the need for collaboration between artists and institutions. The fair, for her, was an opportune moment for these conversations to take place.