History
1:54 is a contemporary African art fair held annually in London, beginning in 2013. [1] As of 2015, 1:54 is the only art fair dedicated to contemporary African art in the primary art market. [2] Its name refers to the 54 countries that compose the African continent, [1] expressed as a ratio ("one continent: 54 countries"). [3] Moroccan curator Touria El Glaoui, daughter of the artist Hassan El Glaoui, organized the fair to improve the representation of contemporary African art in worldwide art exhibitions. [1] [4] Representation of non-Western countries in the contemporary art world has lagged behind that of other countries. [4] [5] Representation of African countries, in particular, improved alongside the continent's economic growth. [4] El Glaoui said that the continent did not have a single art scene, and that there was great diversity between African nations. Accordingly, as in the fair's title, 1:54 tries to preserve rather than homogenize the differences between each country's histories and cultures. [6] In starting the fair, its founder was supported and advised by the British Council, the Francophonie, and partners ArtReview , Beaux Art magazine, and Art.sy. For each edition, the 1:54 organizers ask themselves "what is necessary, what can be achieved, how [to] do something different". [6] The fair's organizers choose exhibitors based on proposal submissions and the firms' reputation and plans. Travel visa issues have also affected whether invitees ultimately attend. [6]
The fair debuted in October 2013 during Frieze Week, where about 6,000 people visited the fair held in the London Somerset House. [4] [1] David Adjaye's company designed the fair's architectural features. [6] By the next year, held at the same time and venue, [7] the event had doubled in size, [1] with 10,000 visitors and a greater variety of curators from outside African-specific specialties. [4] Over 100 African artists exhibited in 27 galleries, including photographers J. D. 'Okhai Ojeikere, Malick Sidibé, Paul Sika, pop artist Hassan Hajjaj, sound artist Emeka Ogboh, and performance artist Athi-Patra Ruga. [1] Mid-twentieth century photography was in particular prominence. [8] The fair featured a series of lectures and panels, including a set curated by Koyo Kouoh of the Senegalese Raw Material Company, [1] film screenings, and curator discussions on the future of African art. [7] The 2014 event's primary sponsor was the Sindika Dokolo Foundation. [6]
After two years in London, 1:54 held a pop-up show, 1:54 NY, at the Red Hook art venue Pioneer Works during the May 2015 Frieze New York. Kouoh returned to lead a forum [7] on present and future ideas of African diasporic identities and practices, [6] and RA Projects, who had previously worked with 1:54, returned to design the New York exhibit. [7] The show used a standard gallery layout as the open, industrial space was divided into white-walled booths. [9] Sixteen international galleries participated—most were from American and European countries, apart from five South African galleries and one each from Côte d'Ivoire, Morocco, and Nigeria. [3] Exhibited artists were from African nations and the African diaspora, living in other Western countries. [6] They included William Kentridge, Malick Sidibé, Seydou Keïta, Peter Clarke, Lavar Munroe, Billie Zangewa, and Omar Victor Diop. [9] Particularly due to the New York event's smaller size, 1:54's founder said that they tried to show the most exciting artists and exhibitors rather than show a survey of the 54 countries. The expansion into New York was a "natural progression" for the fair, based on their existing institutional relationships. It also expanded the fair's scope into American and African American art professionals, and the American art market [6] —the show's foremost focus was bringing new artists to New York patronage. [9] The event was planned in six months. [9] 1:54 held a second New York show in 2016 with 17 galleries, including five based in Africa, [10] and a partnership with the Dakar Biennale. [11] Dartmouth's Hood Museum of Art purchased Eric Van Hove's Testosterone installation. [12] Compared to the London event, 1:54 NY is smaller and designed to be more intimate, with an active community and different audience, although the two shows are not significantly different. [11]
In its third year in London, the 2015 show had 15,000 visitors. [13] The fourth London show in October 2016 was three times the size of the original exhibition, and had expanded from a wing of the Somerset House to the rest of the building and its courtyard, where Zak Ové installed a site-specific work [14] that was purchased for a sculpture park in Berkshire. [15] The 2016 fair featured 130 artists, including the fair's first artists representing Egypt, Ethiopia, and Ghana. [14] Koyo Kouoh's forum series returned to the event as well. [16] Of the 40 exhibitors from 18 countries, [16] 40 percent were from Africa [14] and 17 galleries debuted at the show. [17] The fair's founder viewed these expansions as a sign of progress for the African art market. [18]
1:54 expanded into Marrakech in February 2018, its third location. Held at luxury hotel La Mamounia, the fair coincided with the 7th Marrakech Biennale. [19] While 1-54 skipped its 2020 New York exhibition due to the COVID-19 pandemic, [20] the London show exhibited in both 2020 and 2021. [21] The New York show returned in May 2021. [20] When 1-54's 2021 Marrakech fair was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a pop-up show in Paris was organized in its place in 18 of Christie's galleries. Paris and online access were more accessible to galleries and collectors than the more remote Marrakech. [22] [23]
