The 1-54 Art Fair Brings Africa and Its Diaspora Into the Global Mainstream

Founded in 2013 by Touria El Glaoui, 1-54 is the first and only international fair dedicated to contemporary African art. With three editions per year—in London, New York and Marrakech, 1-54 is the leading global art fair committed to providing visibility to contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora. Striving to promote a community of diverse perspectives, including evolving interpretations of the diasporic experience, 1-54 features leading international galleries specialising in contemporary African art alongside artists talks, panel discussions and a Special Projects programme. The fair’s name draws reference to the fifty-four countries that constitute the African continent.

Touria El Glaoui is the founding director of the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, which is held every year in London, New York City and Marrakesh. The daughter of a Moroccan artist father and a French mother, El Glaoui was working in telecommunication sales when she founded the fair to give voice to art and artists from the continent and the diaspora, and it remains among the most important on the contemporary scene, introducing talents such as Amadou Sanogo, of Mali, and Johanna Mirabel, of Paris.

This year’s edition of the fair, which runs through Sunday, is mounted in Manhattanville, at 439 West 127th Street (1-54.com), with a pop-up exhibition of Caribbean artists, called “Sparkling Islands, Another Postcard of the Caribbean,” at High Line Nine, 507 West 27th Street, through Saturday. I recently spoke with El Glaoui about her vision and how it has grown. Here are edited excerpts from the conversation.