From Lagos to London: 1-54 Art Fair Expands the Map of Today’s African Art

From October 16–19, 2025, 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair returns to Somerset House for its thirteenth London edition, reaffirming its role as the leading platform for contemporary art from Africa and the African diaspora. Founded by Touria El Glaoui in 2013, the fair draws its name from the continent’s 54 countries and its mission to champion their dynamic artistic voices within the global scene. This year’s 1-54 London welcomes over 50 international exhibitors from 13 countries, with the majority representing the Global South—from Lagos and Cairo to Dakar, Johannesburg, and Nassau.

“We’re thrilled to return to Somerset House for our 13th edition,” said El Glaoui, Founding Director of 1-54 London. “This year, we’re proud to showcase an exceptional selection of galleries spanning five continents, with a strong representation from the African continent itself – notably from Nigeria and South Africa. We’re also excited to welcome a significant portion of new galleries to the London edition.”

A Global South Spotlight at 1-54 London

Fourteen galleries make their 1-54 London debut, including O’DA Art (Lagos), TINTERA (Cairo), TERN Gallery (Nassau), and Gallery Misr (Cairo). The fair will present works by more than 100 artists across painting, sculpture, photography, textiles, ceramics, and performance. Highlights include pieces by Hassan Hajjaj, Ibrahim El-Salahi, Lakwena Maciver, and Seydou Keïta, alongside rising stars such as Zenaéca Singh, Joël Bigaignon, and Afeez Onakoya.

Nigeria features prominently at 1-54 London through galleries like Affinity, Ed Cross, SOTO, and The 1897 Gallery, presenting artists including Samuel Nnorom, Austin Uzor, and Ayoola Gbolahan. South Africa’s presence remains robust with Afronova, Eclectica Contemporary, FILAFRIQUES, and Guns & Rain showing works by Alice Mann, Reggie Khumalo, and Zana Masombuka. Meanwhile, a renewed interest in modern African masters comes through Tristan Hoare Gallery, exhibiting Malick Sidibé, Seydou Keïta, and Gora M’Bengue, and Loeve & Co, presenting Roland Dorcély.

Special Projects and Commissions at 1-54 London

Each year, 1-54 London transforms Somerset House with site-specific commissions and immersive installations. For 2025, artist Mónica de Miranda will reimagine the courtyard with Earthworks, a participatory botanical installation exploring humanity’s bond with nature and decolonial thought. Inspired by Achille Mbembe’s concept of “terrestrial communities,” the project unfolds as a living archive of resistance, featuring vertical gardens and stage-sculptures that host collective actions and dialogues.

Other standout Special Projects at 1-54 London include:

• Art Comes First’s The Sartorial Spirit of Punk Tailors, an exploration of rebellion and heritage through African craftsmanship and British tailoring.
  
• Everyday Lusaka Gallery’s The Inherited Counter-Archive, re-examining Zambia’s first Black-owned photo studio through digitized archives and portraits by Alick Phiri.
  
• Seed Archives’ Form, Feeling, inviting visitors to engage with West African rituals of touch and collective memory.
  
• PICHA Art Centre’s presentation of new works from the Democratic Republic of Congo, continuing its mission to foster co-creation and dialogue.

What to Watch For at 1-54 London

The fair’s Forum 2025, curated by Dakar-based RAW Material Company and Koyo Kouoh, will gather artists, curators, and cultural thinkers around themes of decoloniality and cross-generational exchange. Meanwhile, Somerset House hosts Jennie Baptiste: Rhythm & Roots, the first major solo show of the Black British photographer known for documenting the energy of youth culture and music since the 1990s.

Returning partners include Christie’s, marking their sixth year of collaboration, underscoring the fair’s expanding international reach. INFINIMENT COTY PARIS continues its creative partnership, showcasing artworks that transform fragrance packaging into sculptural expressions. This year also introduces a new Lead Partner, Afreximbank, whose Art Programme supports and finances African cultural initiatives across the continent.

Between its newly represented regions, a record number of emerging artists, and powerful interdisciplinary programming, 1-54 London 2025 promises to expand global perspectives on African and diasporic creativity. As El Glaoui notes, the fair continues to evolve as “a living ecosystem—one that connects artistic communities, collectors, and cultural institutions through shared imagination and purpose.”