The 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair has officially returned to the historic neoclassical setting of Somerset House in London for its highly anticipated fourteenth consecutive edition. As one of the premier international platforms dedicated entirely to contemporary art from Africa and its vast global diaspora, this year’s iteration brings a renewed sense of historical depth and cultural resonance to the British capital. Anchoring the 2026 fair is a major, newly introduced section focused squarely on African modernism, an ambitious curatorial initiative designed to reframe and elevate the historical roots that continue to nourish contemporary creative practices across the continent.
Curated by the esteemed art historian Nancy Dantas, the newly minted special presentation has quickly become the intellectual and visual anchor of the event. Titled “West Wind,” the section draws its evocative name from Miriam Makeba’s iconic 1966 musical anthem, a timeless song of liberation, resilience, and Pan-African unity. Dantas’s curation addresses a critical institutional gap in the broader art market, specifically responding to the void left when major auction houses, such as Sotheby’s, shuttered their dedicated African modernism departments in 2025. By stepping into this space, 1-54 not only reinforces its commitment to contemporary production but also builds a vital bridge back to the pioneering mid-century figures who laid the groundwork for today’s global art landscape.
The “West Wind” showcase brings together an exceptional roster of mid-20th-century masters whose works defined a period of intense political emancipation, aesthetic self-determination, and cultural renaissance. Among the luminaries featured in the presentation are renowned Sudanese artist Ibrahim El-Salahi, whose profound contributions to African and Islamic modernism have left an indelible mark on global art history; Mozambican painter and ceramicist Bertina Lopes, celebrated for her deeply textured, politically charged compositions that bridged European modernism with African heritage; and the celebrated Senegalese ceramicist Seyni Awa Camara, whose striking, tactile figurative sculptures continue to captivate audiences with their raw spiritual and earthly power. Through these and other pivotal historical works, the section celebrates a transformative era when artists across the African continent and its far-flung diaspora actively dismantled colonial visual frameworks and forged entirely new idioms of expression.
By integrating these historical heavyweights alongside its bustling contemporary galleries, the fourteenth edition of 1-54 successfully navigates the delicate balance between honoring the past and looking boldly toward the future. The juxtaposition illuminates the rich, uninterrupted lineage of the continent’s cultural and artistic landscape, reminding collectors, critics, and enthusiasts alike that contemporary innovations do not exist in a vacuum. Instead, they are deeply tethered to the generations of visionaries who navigated immense political upheaval to establish sovereign artistic identities.
As thousands of visitors, curators, and international museum directors flock to the riverfront courtyards and grand halls of Somerset House, the fair once again demonstrates its vital role in the global contemporary art ecosystem. Beyond the historical weight of the "West Wind" presentation, the sprawling event continues to serve as a dynamic marketplace and cultural incubator, showcasing cutting-edge painting, sculpture, photography, and installation art from dozens of specialized galleries representing countries spanning the African continent and beyond.
The 14th edition of 1-54 London runs through Sunday at Somerset House, offering audiences a rare and comprehensive opportunity to engage with the past, present, and future of African art in all its diverse glory.
