1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, New York, USA

This year, I had the incredible chance to represent Gallery 1957 at the 1-54 Contemporary African Art fair in New York.

I am incredibly grateful as it was my very first trip in the USA. I participated to few other 1-54 in London before, but this one was different. Located at the heart of Harlem, cradle of Black American art and music, the event was happening for a week at the Harlem Parish, a very beautiful building and former church.

The Ghana scene is booming at the moment, with a strong figurative style that is now easily identifiable. It definitely seems to seduce a very broad crowd of collectors and art lovers. At this booth, I was presenting the Ghanian artist Lord Ohene.

Lord Ohene (b.1990) was born in Ghana and is today living and working in Amsterdam. Focussing on figurative style, Ohene paints family, friends and strangers that had an impact on his life. His work is very impressive, and has recently change after a long period of self reflection during Covid isolation. Indeed before that, he was painting the skin with black and white paint that he'd apply with his finger. On this new series presented at the 1-54 New York, the artist switched to colours. Filling in the black 3.0 painted skin with colourful lines made with oil sticks. Yellow, blue, red and gold are making the characters pop out and look joyful. In a goal to represent Africa and its people in a positive way to his audience, Lord Ohene attempts with his new technique to give hope and courage to his people and show that it is possible to go forward.