1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair Returns to London
Founded in 2013 by Franco-Moroccan entrepreneur, Touria El Glaoui, 1-54 is the first and only international fair dedicated exclusively to contemporary African art. Named for the fifty-four countries that make up the continent, the fair now spans three annual editions in London, New York, and Marrakech. It has become a vital platform for celebrating Africa’s creative diversity and its global diaspora.
For its 13th London edition, coming to Somerset House from 16-19 October, 1-54 brings together over fifty international galleries from across thirteen countries, with a strong presence from the African continent and beyond. The fair’s dynamic programme includes gallery presentations, artist talks, panel discussions, and Special Projects, alongside a new Caribbean Spotlight.
As El Glaoui reflects, “Each edition we ask ourselves: what is necessary, what can be achieved, and how can it be different?” This ethos continues to shape 1-54 as a space for dialogue, innovation, and visibility that aims to connect artists, collectors, and audiences worldwide.
Among the many voices redefining contemporary African art, textiles play a particularly evocative role. Here are just some of the artists using textiles to weave a new narrative into this year’s fair:
Thandiwe Muriu
Thandiwe Muriu , Camo 20 , 2021 , Photography. Courtesy of the Artist and 193 Gallery .
Kenyan photographer Thandiwe Muriu celebrates her country’s textiles and traditions through vibrant, illusionistic portraits. Self-taught, she stages meticulously patterned scenes that blend fashion, fabric, and form. Her images explore female empowerment and identity, reimagining beauty standards and positioning textiles as expressions of cultural pride and individuality.
Malaika Temba
Malaika Temba, U Don’t Have to Call, Jacquard woven fabric, acrylic paint, 2023.
A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design and now an Adjunct Professor there, Malaika Temba’s work draws from a life lived across the continents of Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and now New York. Her textiles are knit, woven, and silk-screened, embodying strength and tenderness. She explores resilience through soft yet unbreakable materials, honouring diasporic lineages of labour, care, and creativity...
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Image Credits:
Lead: Thandiwe Muriu, IN FULL BLOOM, Photography, 2022. Jet Ink Print of FineArt RAG+ Matt 310g mounted on aluminium dibond in black pre-made float frame.
All other images as credited in photo captions.