History unfolds in layers at 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair

1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair returns to New York from 8th to 11th May, 2025, taking place at the new Halo venue at 28 Liberty Street in Lower Manhattan. As the only international art fair dedicated to contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora, 1-54 continues its mission to amplify African voices across three global editions—in London, Marrakech, and New York. This eleventh edition brings together 30 galleries from 17 countries across five continents, with 15 newcomers joining the fair for the first time.

A standout presentation is Fractured Memories, Shattered Silences by The African Art Hub, featuring four rising artists—Ibrahim Bamidele, Reggie Khumalo, Ayogu Kingsley, and Sebastien Boko. The exhibition draws from the theory of postmemory to explore inherited trauma and the complexities of identity and memory within the African diaspora. Through painting and sculpture, each artist revisits the past to forge new narratives of cultural legacy and selfhood. The booth becomes a site of reflection, where personal and collective histories intersect with global discourse. Set against the backdrop of Frieze Week, 1-54 reaffirms its place as a vital platform for African art’s evolving global presence.