Don’t miss these artists at 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair 2024
As the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair returns to London (10-13 October 2024), here are the artists to see

1-54 London, the flagship edition of the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, is returning to the Somerset House for its 12th consecutive year. The event, designed to promote art from Africa and its diaspora, will be held from 10 to 13 October and will coincide with Frieze London 2024.
Billed as the most expansive 1-54 London fair yet, the event will feature over 60 galleries, including Gallery 1957 (Accra, Ghana), Verve Gallery (São Paulo, Brazil), Amasaka Gallery (Masaka, Uganda), Osart Gallery (Milan, Italy), The Art Pantheon Gallery (Lagos, Nigeria), Cynthia Corbett Gallery (London, UK), Galerie Voss (Düsseldorf, Germany), House of Beau Gallery (Rabat, Morocco), Galerie REVEL (Bordeaux, France) and Pearl Lam Galleries (Hong Kong, China.)
‘This year’s fair will unite artists from more countries than ever before, with a significant portion new to the London edition,’ says founding director Touria El Glaoui. ‘We are excited to be emphasising artists from Morocco, Ghana and Brazil. The diversity and richness of the artworks on display reflect the dynamic and evolving nature of contemporary African art, and we are thrilled to be able to provide a platform that celebrates the talents of both established and emerging artists.’
More than 160 artists will present their work in various mediums, including painting, mixed media, photography, installation, and sculpture. Here are our highlights to look out for.
1-54 London 2024: what to see at the Contemporary African Art Fair
Esther Mahlangu
Esther Mahlangu, Untitled, 2021, acrylic on canvas, 120 x 180cm
At age ten, Esther Mahlangu started her art journey under the tutelage of her mother and grandmother, learning the craft of Ndebele mural painting. In 1991, she made history as the first woman and African to design a BMW Art Car (making her part of a canon that includes Cao Fei and Jeff Koons). The octogenarian South African artist's acrylic paintings, usually on canvas, show distinct, colourful geometric patterns referencing her Ndebele heritage and murals. Johannesburg-based The Melrose Gallery will represent her at the fair.
Rita Mawuena Benissan
Rita Mawuena Benissan
Rita Mawuena Benissan, Enter as One, 2024, tapestry embroidering on velvet, 116.8 x 190.5cm
Ghanaian-American artist Rita Mawuena Benissan explores Ghanaian culture, identity, and history by embroidering on velvet and reimagining royal umbrellas. Her work has previously been shown at the 2024 Frieze Seoul, 2024 1-54 Marrakesh, and 2022 Dakar Biennale. It will next be displayed in a solo show at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa in November 2024 and then at the Sharjah Biennial 16 in February 2025. Accra- and London-based Gallery 1957 will represent Benissan at 1-54 London.
Dola Posh
Dola Posh, Mother's Day 'Year 3', 2023, Hahnemühle bamboo-fibre papers, 74 x 64 cm, Edition of 2
Drawing from personal experiences, UK-based Nigerian photographer Dola Posh tells stories of mothers by exploring the loss of self-identity and postpartum depression, while projecting strength and vulnerability through her work. The artist is represented here by London-based Cynthia Corbett Gallery.
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Rugiyatou Jallow
Rugiyatou Jallow, Floating in Time, 2023, acrylic, oil and thread on canvas, 152.4 x 121.9
Rugiyatou Jallow was born to Gambian and Swedish parents, and like many mixed-race people, she felt like she didn’t fully fit in with either side of her family. This feeling shows up in her acrylic, oil, and thread on canvas paintings that explore identity and belonging as a mixed-race woman. Jallow is represented at the fair by New York- and Los Angeles-based gallery Albertz Benda.
Eddy Kamuanga Ilunga
Eddy Kamuanga Ilunga, Envahissement 2, 2024, oil and acrylic on canvas, 199 x 188cm
Eddy Kamuanga Ilunga’s paintings, presented by October Gallery, explore the aftermath of Belgium’s colonialisation of the Democratic Republic of Congo, focusing on the country’s economic, political, and social identity.
The 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair is in London from 10-13 October 2024
-
Messika’s fluid jewellery is given a textural twist
The Parisian brand borrows a textural finish previously reserved for high jewellery with its new collection, ‘Move Ciselé’
-
This ingenious London office expansion was built in an on-site workshop
New Wave London and Thomas-McBrien Architects make a splash with this glulam extension built in the very studio it sought to transform. Here's how they did it
-
The bespoke Jaguar E-Type GTO melds elements from every era of the classic sports car
ECD Automotive Design’s one-off commission caters to a client who wanted to combine the greatest hits of Jaguar’s E-Type along with modern conveniences and more power
-
Get lost in Megan Rooney’s abstract, emotional paintings
The artist finds worlds in yellow and blue at Thaddaeus Ropac London
-
Out of office: the Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the week
It was a jam-packed week for the Wallpaper* staff, entailing furniture, tech and music launches and lots of good food – from afternoon tea to omakase
-
London calling! Artists celebrate the city at Saatchi Yates
London has long been an inspiration for both superstar artists and newer talent. Saatchi Yates gathers some of the best
-
Alexandra Metcalf creates an unsettling Victorian world in London
Alexandra Metcalf turns The Perimeter into a alternate world in exhibition, 'Gaaaaaaasp'
-
Sexual health since 1987: archival LGBTQIA+ posters on show at Studio Voltaire
A look back at how grassroots movements emphasised the need for effective sexual health for the LGBTQIA+ community with a host of playful and informative posters, now part of a London exhibition
-
Ten things to see at London Gallery Weekend
As 125 galleries across London take part from 6-8 June 2025, here are ten things not to miss, from David Hockney’s ‘Love’ series to Kayode Ojo’s look at the superficiality of taste
-
Out of office: what the Wallpaper* editors have been up to this week
This week saw the Wallpaper* team jet-setting to Jordan and New York; those of us left in London had to make do with being transported via the power of music at rooftop bars, live sets and hologram performances
-
Out of office: what the Wallpaper* editors have been up to this week
The Wallpaper* team enjoyed good art, food and drink this week, attending various exhibition openings and unearthing some of the best pasta and cocktails that London has to offer