When you’re an African artist searching for the next best place to showcase your masterpiece, often one of the main things on your mind are galleries, fairs, or exhibitions really far away from home. A place where fresh set of eyes can grasp stories and techniques unique to yourselves. And that is what many artists long for. Whatever kind of artist you are, we’ve narrowed it down to 5 global galleries that have showcased notable African artists this year.
JD Malat Gallery
30 Davies Street, London, Mayfair, W1K 4NB
Image courtesy of JD Malat Gallery.
Since its establishment in 2017, JD Malat Gallery’s mission has been to support established and emerging artists. Specialising in contemporary art, the gallery represents over 20 international artists from a diverse range of media, from sculpture and painting to video and photography. JD Malat Gallery aims to provide a significant international audience for its artists through its wide-ranging programme and participation in art fairs across the globe and also endeavours to broaden its dialogue with artists outside of the gallery’s core programme. The gallery currently represents astounding artists, Ayanfe Olaride and Kojo Marfo.
Monique Meloche Gallery
451 N Paulina Street, Chicago, IL 60622
Image courtesy of Monique Meloche Gallery.
Monique Meloche Gallery was founded in October 2000, with its debut exhibition ‘Homewrecker’ at Meloche’s home, and officially opened to the public in May 2001. Diverse and inclusive since its inception, the gallery promotes politically minded contemporary art, aiming to be a bellwether for artistic talents early or under-recognized in their careers. Working with an international group of emerging and established artists in all media, the gallery presents conceptually challenging installations in Chicago and at art fairs internationally, with an emphasis on curatorial and institutional outreach. The gallery announced on September 8 the representation of Nigerian artist Luke Agada.
Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery
London (London Bridge, Wandsworth, Tower Bridge), West Palm Beach, and Berlin
Image courtesy of Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery.
Not only is Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery known for its astounding exhibition but also their unique selection of international artists exhibition. They have highly expressive artists on their rosters, including Nigerian artists Nengi Omuku, and Ken Nwagiobu.
Established in 2012, Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery has fast gained a reputation for exhibiting a diverse roster of innovative, international artists, both emerging and established, with strong theoretical and aesthetic bases. Since its inception the gallery has embraced a collaborative, multicultural curatorial approach, maintaining a deep devotion to the artists it represents while fostering close relationships with museums and curators worldwide.
Drawing on her own international background, Kristin Hjellegjerde seeks to nurture new talent by offering artists a dynamic, inclusive platform through which they can be introduced to local and global clients. She works closely with other curators and collectors as well as developers and architects to develop unique and exciting exhibition concepts. In 2019, she curated ‘Kubatana’, a museum exhibition focused on African artists at Vestfossen Kunstlaboratorium, Norway. In October 2021, Kristin Hjellegjerde was featured in Monocle Magazine’s Top 25 Global Entrepreneurs of 2021.
Luce Gallery
Largo Montebello, 40, 10124 Torino Italy
Image courtesy of Luce Gallery.
Luce Gallery was founded in 2009 by Nikola Cernetic with the aim of discovering and supporting international young talents through gallery exhibitions and fair participation worldwide. Since 2009, emerging artists who first started at the gallery have established themselves and their practice, showing internationally in galleries and museums. Luce gallery’s dedication to its artists’ continuous professional development has been instrumental in their growth and establishment. By holding a regular programme of exhibitions, publishing catalogues, showing at art fairs, and working with major collectors, the gallery has introduced a number of new artists to the contemporary art scene.
This year, Luce participated in the 1-54 contemporary African Art Fair, London and New York alongside other dynamic galleries promoting the growing culture of African art outside the continent.
This Is Not A White Cube
Portugal (Rua da Emenda 72 , Chiado, 1200-170 Lisbon, Portugal)
Angola (Rua Francisco Pereira Africano, 10-R/C, Luanda, Angola)
Image courtesy of Cape Verde Cultural Center @ João Neves.
THIS IS NOT A WHITE CUBE is an international contemporary art gallery based in Luanda, Angola and Lisbon, Portugal. Founded in Luanda by Sónia Ribeiro in 2016, the gallery has quickly become a leader in Angola’s artistic and cultural panorama. It was in 2019 that the project expanded to Chiado, one of Lisbon’s most emblematic neighborhoods. Representing and collaborating with emergent and established artists, the gallery focuses primarily on narratives associated with the African continent and its diaspora. Despite the profound connection with Africa, it is the first Contemporary African gallery in Portugal that focuses not exclusively on Lusophone circles but also the emerging aesthetics of cultural and artistic productions from the wider Global South. Both exhibition spaces have independent programs, offering collectors and amateurs a relevant and compelling selection of contemporary artists working across a wide diversity of media and techniques.The gallery maintains a regular and significant presence at important international art fairs.
