1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair New York: My Top 5
I’m still in shock that I attended the opening preview of the inaugural 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair New York. Pinching myself has not taken me off this cloud. But, I’ll force my jittery fingers to compile a list of top 5 artworks. This list is especially difficult because I. LOVED. EVERYTHING. I have career aspirations in contemporary art from Africa (see here, here, here and here), so there is no true hierarchy; I. LOVED. EVERYTHING.
Instead this “Top” list will give a sample view into the range of artworks from emerging and established artists that is being created around the continent, and that is finally grabbing the attention of collectors worldwide.
My swag bag from 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair!
1. Goncalo Mabunda, Untitled (Mask), 2011. Mozambique. Recycled weapons of the civil war. Image via artnet.
“Gonçalo Mabunda is interested in the collective memory of his country, Mozambique: a country that only recently has emerged from a long and terrible civil war. In his sculptures he gives anthropomorphic form to AK47s, rocket launchers, pistols and other objects of destruction, weapons that were recovered in 1992 at the end of a sixteen-year conflict that divided the region. The deactivated weapons carry strong political connotations, and yet the beautiful compositions he creates also convey a positive reflection on the transformative power of art and the resilience and creativity of African civilian societies.” Image and text via 1:54.
One of my first blog posts featured the work of Mr. Mabunda, so it was surreal to see his work in person!
2. Wayne Barker, Golden Mine (Marikana 2012), 2015. South Africa. Strung glass beads on board.
Barker is a multimedia artist but I especially like his beadwork... they “seduce and dazzle” as stated on the artist’s website.
1:54 states: “Wayne Barker is a shrewd critic of the times, recogni[z]ed for making incisive and astute social and political commentaries. Growing up within the Valhalla military air base in Pretoria’s outlying suburbs, Barker spent his formative years amidst a hotbed of apartheid military activity – worthwhile to consider in respect of his notorious aversion toward authority.”
3. ruby oyinyechi amanze, when mischief gets the best of you, 2014. Nigeria. Photo transfer, ink pen, colored pencils, metallic enamel.
“ruby onyinyechi amanze is a Nigerian-born artist, who spent her formative years in Britain. Her practice, which comprises drawings, works on paper, textile design, photography and printmaking, attests to her understanding of cultural hybridity, belonging and displacement.” (Via 1:54).
amanze has created a motley group of anthropomorphic characters (such as a bird-like creature that stands erect on two human legs and wears a suit), to express the concept of hybridity. Her backgrounds lack clues as to location (in the image above the characters are just hanging out in a white plane, leaning on nondescript beams) to highlight displacement.
I had seen amanze’s work in person at Tiwani Contemporary in London earlier this year for her first ever solo exhibit, a story. in parts. It was an honor to see her drawings in person for a second time at 1:54, and to actually meet the artist!
4. Billie Zangewa, The Wild Side. South Africa and Malawi. Silk tapestry. Via.
Billie Zangewa has a fine arts degree, from which studies in printmaking allowed her to explore various techniques and materials, subsequently initiating her passion for working with rich surfaces and textiles, especially silk. “Zangewa arises as a triumphant African woman, conscious of her roots and altogether in touch with her environment. Her intimate universes meet the public realm through her original silk tapestries, each with their own coherent narrative and luminous aura. The cut silk collages and cotton embroidery offer a rich medium with precious textures and a sensitive palette, feminine but never quaint.” (Via 1:54).
Billie is also featured in this video, from 1:54 London 2014.
5. Paul Sika, Dandelia #1, 2012. Cote d’Ivoire. Photographic print mounted on light box.
Sika, a former software engineer, “refers to his artwork as ‘photo-making’, creating his photographs the same way others may create motion pictures. The process consists of building an image rather than capturing it: a simulacrum rather than a representation as such. Using cinematographic methods, this allows him to specifically highlight people and objects, while also ‘staging’ scenes of humanity that depict an unusual nature. His energetic commitment to the creation of his images is unique. Citing influences from Ivorian popular culture, contemporary painting and the mythological scenes portrayed in a more classical era of painting, Sika’s artistic sophistication, his masterful visual language and elevated sense are the tools employed to give us such distinctive works.” (Via 1:54).
