An insightful group of African art experts formed the panel at the press launch night which included Touria El Glaoui (Founder 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair), Hannah O’Leary (Director Head of Modern & Contemporary African Art Sothebys) Emma Menell (Founder Tyburn Gallery), Tamlin Blake (multi-media South African artist) and Gemma Rolls-Bentley (Gallery Relations Manager at Artsy).
The chicken and champagne special preview of the exhibition Feast Your Eyes and panel discussion on the South African art market was organised by 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair, who are the leading international art fair dedicated to contemporary African art which will return to London for its fifth edition between 5-8 October 2017.
In the last 10 years the taste for African contemporary art has entered the mainstream. Contributing to this has been the increasing growth of wealth in Africa, more notably in South Africa and Nigeria.
Touria El Glaoui stated “when starting 1:54 in 2013 a lot of the trips taken was to South Africa to meet the artist, meet the galleries, as there was so little here (UK) in terms of education”. With their first Modern and Contemporary African Art auction this May, Hannah O’Leary, said on the growing market “in these 10 years we have seen so many other developments outside the continent which leads the spotlight to Africa. And I think the auction house have a small part to play in that. And it takes daring curators and galleries and people like Emma (Tyburn Gallery), setting up a gallery that specialises in contemporary African art in London is a daring thing, because it is unknown and these are unknown artist, people have expectations and stereotypes when it comes to African art. It takes people like Emma and the primary market to develop an artist, their reputation and their following so people can come along and develop work with them on the secondary market. Bringing a very public face to the market hence reflecting market sales”.
Free to enter, the pop-up gallery will be exhibiting and selling the works of seven South African artists, Henk Serfontein, Zemba Luzamba, Sahmes Tembani, Patrick Bongoy, Norman O’Flynn, NomThunzi Mashalaba and Marlise Keith, who all have art on the walls of Nando’s restaurants nationwide. Showcasing works in an environment that usually serves customers PERi-PERi treats; Feast Your Eyes is a new approach to how a gallery can be, leave any pretension at the door, grab your camera (and some chicken) and enjoy the adventure.
On the Saturday and Sunday attendees will be able to chat to featured artists Henk Serfontein and Norman O’Flynn while checking out mosaicists Zeenat and beader Neliswa creating live art within the gallery. Feast Your Eyes is an event not to miss for both art enthusiasts, and PERi-PERi fans.
All the artists on show are a part of the various programmes supported by Nando’s patronage, in collaboration with the Spier Arts Trust. The pop up runs Friday 14th – Sunday 16th July.
Where: Nando’s Soho, 10 Frith Street, Soho, London, W1D 3JF Times: Fri:14th July – 11am-9pm, Sat: 15th July – 11am – 9pm, Sun: 16th July – 12pm-6pm Nearest Tube Station: Tottenham Court Road
Find out more about 1:54: http://1-54.com/london/
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