Barthélémy Toguo, at Galerie Lelong

It was the most talked about event of the month and yet it only lasted four days. Christie’s Paris was hosting the event and there were no auctions. What fun it was to be back in the ambiance of a (small) art fair. Since it could not take place in Marrakech, the 1-54 Art fair was on avenue Matignon and the very chic premises of the auction house were transformed into a mini exhibition hall. Organized in one month, in a very hushed way (there was fear that the government would prevent it), the group of 19 galleries showed the new actors of the African contemporary scene. Only a few came from abroad, Lucegallery from Torino, Golborn from London, this si bot a white cube from Angola and Gallery 1957 from Ghana. And in parallel, Galleria Continua (who was showing spears and sculptures by Pascale Marthine Tayou) was opening its new space in Paris at 87 rue du Temple with a show curated by JR.

Noel Anderson, at Galerie Anne de Villepoix

It was fun to chat again with Anne de Villepoix and Nathalie Obadia, to see Eric Dupont unfold large canvases by Romeo Mivekannin, an Ivorian artist who lives between Toulouse and Cotonou in Benin. His training in architecture and sociology has obviously given him a special depth in his black and white frescos. At 50 Golborne, Ugandan artist Sanaa Gateja showed large embroidered works, at Gallery 1957, there were more wonderful embroidered daily scenes of life by Ivorian artist Joana Choumali, and wonderful photographs by the late Moroccan Leila Alaoui (who died in 2016 at 34) at Galleria Continua.

Joana Choumali n Untitled 2018, embroidery on smartphone digital photography, Gallery 1957

I loved  again more black and white  embroidered works by Noel Anderson at Anne de Villepoix as well as colorful paintings by Souleimane Barry. This galerist who works out of a huge loft in the 11 th arrondissement, has concentrated on the young African scene for a long time. In the main staircase, the installation of five or six large paintings by Nigerian artists Kelani Abass fitted perfectly in the classical decor. His gallerists, Charles-Wesley Hourdé and Clémence Houdart at  31 Project are interestingly also experts in traditional African art on rue de Seine.

Epheas Maposa, Trung trung, 2020 at Galerie 31 Project

I hope I was able to convey to you the excitement that came out of these four day event. On Saturday night everyone was chatting on the phone and if you hadn’t been to Christie’s you were definitely “out”. Established galleries were prominent but the small size of the premises put on an even level teh smaller and younger galleries. Chéri Samba’s ” Merci, merci je suis dans la zone verte” at Magnin-A, was smashing, Safâa Erruas‘s metallic works on paper were charming at Dominique Fiat gallery. There was something for everyone and for every budget. Well done Touria El Glaoui who founded the fair.

The classical decor of Christie’s proved to be ideal for an African art fair

The next 1-54 fair is planned for May 2021 in New York.