MARRAKESH.- 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, the leading international art fair dedicated to contemporary art from Africa and the African diaspora, has announced the 20 international galleries participating in its third Marrakech edition, taking place at La Mamounia, 22 and 23 February, with VIP and Press Previews on 20 and 21 February 2020.
It was always important for Founding Director, Touria El Glaoui to initiate 1-54 on the African Continent, and in February 2018, the fair was successfully launched in Marrakech. This has allowed the fair to broaden its reach and further diversify its portfolio of exhibiting and promoting gallerists as well as artists who are connected to Africa, adding to the global network 1-54 has cultivated over the past seven years. Marrakech is home to one of the continent’s most dynamic arts scenes and 1-54 Marrakech aims to build on the city’s creative energy fostered by its artists, galleries and institutions.
1-54 brings together a diverse set of perspectives from around the world and has carefully selected 20 leading galleries from 10 countries: Belgium, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa and the United Kingdom.
More than half the exhibitors are from Africa: AFRONOVA GALLERY (Cape Town, South Africa), Eclectica Contemporary (Cape Town, South Africa), galerie 127 (Marrakech, Morocco), Galerie Cécile Fakhoury (Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire and Dakar, Senegal), Goodman Gallery (Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa and London, UK), GVCC (Casablanca, Morocco), L’Atelier 21 (Casablanca, Morocco), Loft Art Gallery (Casablanca, Morocco), LouiSimone Guirandou Gallery (Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire), Mashrabia Gallery of Contemporary Art (Cairo, Egypt), So Art Gallery (Casablanca, Morocco), UBUNTU art gallery (Cairo, Egypt), VOICE gallery (Marrakech, Morocco) and WHATIFTHEWORLD (Cape Town, South Africa).
10 galleries will participate in 1-54 Marrakech for the first time: Afikaris (Paris, France), AFRONOVA GALLERY (Cape Town, South Africa), Eclectica Contemporary (Cape Town, South Africa), galerie 127 (Marrakech, Morocco), GVCC (Casablanca, Morocco), Mashrabia Gallery of Contemporary Art (Cairo, Egypt), Nil Gallery (Paris, France), So Art Gallery (Casablanca, Morocco), UBUNTU art gallery (Cairo, Egypt) and WHATIFTHEWORLD (Cape Town, South Africa).
The fair will showcase the work of more than 70 artists, both emerging and established, working in a wide variety of mediums and from a range of geographical locations comprising 21 countries: Angola, Belgium, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, France, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Togo and the United States.
1-54 Marrakech will be accompanied by 1-54 FORUM, the fair’s extensive talks and events programme, which will include artist talks and panel discussions with international curators, artists and cultural producers, to be held at La Mamounia, ESAV and Le 18 in parallel to the fair. For the 2020 Marrakech edition, 1-54 FORUM will be curated for the first time by independent art space, The Showroom, London. The project will be led by The Showroom’s curatorial team and takes its methodology from the organisation’s programme of engagement with its local north-west London community, Communal Knowledge. Entitled On focus: Communal Knowledge at Large, 1-54 FORUM will explore the potential of that methodology to be translated to other contexts. Nurtured by the insightful contributions of local and international agents, 1-54 FORUM will become a platform to interrogate multiple practices of socially engaged art, leading to the production of a new roadmap of organisational and institutional collective methodologies originated by this encounter between artists, activists, institutions and community organisers.
1-54 will also present special projects and a wide programme of bespoke events in partnership with Musée d’Art Contemporain Africain Al Madeen (MACAAL), Musée Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech, Montresso* Art Foundation, Le 18, Comptoir des Mines Galerie and Institut Français, amongst others. Full details to be announced soon.
Founding Director of 1-54, Touria El Glaoui, commented: “We are thrilled to be returning to Marrakech for the third year with such a strong line-up of new galleries and a record number from across the African continent. It’s an exciting moment to contribute even further to the market by continuing to provide a platform for international visibility, giving artists the opportunity to meet collectors, curators and other artists on their home soil. We look forward to forming deeper connections to this culturally rich city and giving visitors a great insight into its thriving art scene.”
