The Continent Comes to New York for 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair

There has been a seismic shift in the global contemporary art world over the past few years with a new focus on African art. Having neglected it for centuries, the art establishment is now acknowledging the omission and shining new light on the space. One of the earliest champions of African art, 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair debuted in London in 2013 and continues to this day to be the only global event series dedicated to contemporary art from Africa and the diaspora. The fair’s title refers the 54 countries on the African continent. That moniker alludes to the event’s educational mission. 1-54 will also be taking it to the streets for this year’s fair presenting a pop-up exhibition, “Sparkling Islands, Another Postcard of the Caribbean,” a group exhibition of contemporary Caribbean artists on view from May 11-20 at High Line Nine gallery in Chelsea. The exhibition will showcase works by a younger generation of contemporary artists from the Caribbean and its diaspora, pushing beyond reductive portrayals of the region as a sunny tourist destination to reflect the diversity of cultures informing contemporary Caribbean art.

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