1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair just concluded its 2025 edition at Somerset House, London. It was another outstanding presentation of artists and galleries from across the continent and its diaspora. The sunny autumn weather added a celebratory warmth to this year’s festivities, which extended into the venue, where friendly staff engaged openly with visitors. This year’s fair was dedicated to the late Koyo Kouoh, whose curatorial work helped many African artists achieve global success. Her absence was deeply felt but her legacy continues to be carried forward by those who champion this exhilarating event.
This year, there were many moments that truly stood out to me, especially the paintings and sculptures featured in the Fair. One new artist who captured my attention was David Mbuyi. With a bold and compelling point of view –Mbuyi’s work indicates a promising future that is impossible to deny. Mbuyi is a Congolese figurative painter, represented by Nathan Chiche Gallery. His oil paintings radiate with poise and depth as evidenced in the above untitled image. In this painting, a young man walks barefoot, eyes cast down and lost in his own thoughts. His stride is confident, his environment is lush with green plantain leaves that form a geometric canopy around him. This striking image evokes a sense of purpose, serenity and the ease of being immersed in one’s thoughts.
I also found Amina Rezki’s paintings to be equally captivating. Rezki is a Moroccan artist based in Brussels and she is represented by Loft Art Gallery. The gallery describes her paintings as emerging from a place of “instinct, imagination and spontaneity.” This approach is illustrated in the above untitled painting, where the figure’s intense sideway gaze, and her pursed lips point to a moment of discreet observation or annoyance. It made me ask what is she looking at? The mood in this picture is one of pure curiosity.
Sculptures made a big splash at this year’s contemporary art fair. Highlights included Zimbabwean artist Xanthe Somers of October Gallery, whose eyecatching weaved ceramic pots were delightful to see. Cyrus Kabiru’s playful, imaginative eyewear and helmet sculptures are always a top pick. Similarly, Ugandan artist, Donald Wasswa’s of Circle Art Gallery, presented ebony and copper baby hippo sculptures which added a whimsical and pleasant touch to the showcase.
Last but not least, Everyday Lusaka Gallery presented Inherited Counter-Archive, which was part of this Fair’s special projects collaboration. The gallery showcased archival photographs made by Alick Phiri, a photographer who began working in 1950s Lusaka. His portraits, taken over the course of his career, highlight Lusaka’s transformation from colonial rule to independence. Curated by Sana Ginwalla, Phiri’s portraits were recovered and reprinted for this show. On one side we see Phiri’s self-portraits, detailing his life from youth to a family man. On the other side, we see photos of the community and street scenes of local people engaging with the camera. These two walls spotlight the intersection of the camera as a tool for self-documentation and self-definition, at a time when many Africans did not have access to the visual medias. This is a compelling presentation and an interview with Sana Ginwalla is forthcoming, make sure to check it out.
Donald Wasswa’s hippos sculpture, Circle Art Gallery.
