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A major contemporary African art fair kicked off in London Thursday, with dozens of African artists seeking opportunities in Europe and beyond.
The 1:54 African Contemporary Art Fair, one of the largest of its kind held in Europe, featured paintings, sculptures, photography and installations.
The fair comprised 27 selected galleries representing over 100 international artists from Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, France, Italy, Germany, Britain and the United States and so on.
Inaugurated in London last year, this year's fair has doubled in size, aiming to expand the presence of contemporary African art in the international market.
"For a very long time, there was no role for African art in the international art market, but from last year to right now ... countries have the exhibitions done with African artists, so I know it is getting stronger and stronger," said Touria El Glaoui, founder and director of the fair.
Mariane Ibrahim-Lenhardt, director of U.S. based M.I.A Gallery, which mostly presents contemporary African artists, described the 1:54 as a party for Africa related art to join in the international art market.
After being around with African artists for several years, she decided to devote herself to creating a market for them.
"The people are looking at African contemporary art, is more like they realize that this is a big thing ... maybe later there would be a greater demand," she said, adding that "we are all on the edge and we are waiting for it."
The organizers are also aspiring to take the fair to other parts of the world, particularly in Asia.
"The Asia market is curious about everything and it is happening in art," Glaoui noted.
She listed Singapore and Hong Kong as the most probable locations for the fair when it is held in Asia.
Apart from the exhibition, the fair has also created an online platform named "Artsy" to help African artists to gain access to the international market.
Glaoui said the online platform opened the door for African artists to get in touch with the whole world's collectors.
"For them, it changed everything," she said.
The participants have also voiced their surprise at the diversity of the African contemporary art on display.
"Just like the artists from many other parts of the world, African artists are talking about gender, political, social, environmental issues and so on. They are a window of the society," Ibrahim-Lenhardt explained.
"For me, when talk about Africa, it is about the entire human civilization," said Marcia Kure, a Nigerian artist living in the United States.
The 1:54 African Contemporary Art Fair will be held from Thursday to Sunday in London's Somerset House.
