1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, the pioneering international fair dedicated to contemporary art by African and African diaspora artists, is thrilled to announce details of 1-54 Presents: Coalescent Lights at Christie’s Hong Kong (26 – 30 March 2024). Marking the fair’s first-ever presentation in Asia, the exhibition is a continuation of 1-54 Presents program, a series of exhibitions by 1-54 which brings together an array of artists under a curated thematic, which made its debut at 1-54 London last October.
Coalescent Lights at Christie’s Hong Kong draws on conceptual threads from across multiple generations of artists and highlights 1-54’s unwavering commitment to expanding discourses on contemporary African art and contributing to the institutional and market recognition of African artists. Curated by Kami Gahiga, the exhibition is a poetic exploration of the rich tapestry of approaches and aesthetic philosophies embedded within contemporary African art. It spotlights distinct luminaries who have exhibited their works at previous global editions of the fair, many of whom have not shown in Asia before.
Artists include Omar Ba, Baya, Virginia Chihota, Youssef Nabil, Sanaa Gateja, Abdoulaye Konaté, Dalila Dalléas Bouzar, Ibrahim Mahama, Zanele Muholi, Wura-Natasha Ogunji, Moffat Takadiwa, Ouattara Watts, among other notable artists.
The exhibition draws on the observations of French-Cameroonian curator Simon Njami who advocates for a more nuanced approach to contemporary African art and recognises its transdisciplinary nature. Njami describes the contemporary as multi-dimensional and constantly in motion, refusing confinement and categorisation.
“Coalescent Lights at Christie’s Hong Kong is a critical exploration embedded within a multilayered network of exchanges and approaches which resist generalisation” says Curator Kami Gahiga. “It emphasises the rich tapestry of ideas and concepts present and woven within the works by contemporary African artists. As our first presentation in Asia, it was vital to bring a deeply engaging set of artworks that showcase the diversity of thought, expression and medium within contemporary art practice across Africa and the African diaspora.”
Touria El Glaoui, Founder of 1-54 notes: “We are thrilled to offer a platform for many of the talented artists participating in Coalescent Lights to showcase their work in a new market for the first time. This expansion into Asia marks an exciting milestone for 1-54, and we are eager to see how our collaboration with Christie’s evolves and shapes the future of contemporary African art in the region.”
Press release from 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair
Image: Youssef Nabil. Say Goodbye, Self-portrait Alexandrie. 2009. Hand colored gelatin silver print. 50 x 75 cm. Series of 5 versions, each unique. Image courtesy of the artist and Galerie Nathalie Obadia Paris/Brussels
