Africa’s art scene is set to take Asia’s place in the spotlight

Jul 13 , 2017

African artists are winning the hearts of galleries, institutions and collectors the world over

As we look at the art world, 2017 will undoubtedly belong to Africa. With a young and emerging scene waiting to blossom, it is set to take Asia’s coveted place in the spotlight, winning over the hearts of galleries, institutions and collectors the world over.

In Paris, the region was celebrated as the guest of honour at Art Paris Art Fair in February and is the subject of “Art/Afrique: Le Nouvel Atelier”, showing at the Fondation Louis Vuitton.

Occupying the whole of the Frank Gehry-designed museum, this monumental survey exhibition spans the past 30 years of artistic production from the continent. South Africa benefits from the most visibility with one section out of three dedicated to 16 artists from the country. Household names, such as William Kentridge, David Goldblatt and Sue Williamson, are placed alongside younger artists including Zanele Muholi, Lawrence Lemaoana and Kudzanai Chiurai, together playing an active part in shaping South Africa’s identity 20 years after the end of apartheid.

Kudzanai Chiurai’s ‘Revelations’ is a series of photographs questioning the contemporary African condition by juxtaposing the past and the present of a continent in constant grip of violent civil wars. Courtesy of Goodman Gallery, Cape Town and Johannesburg

Focused on history, memory and identity, ‘Nolwazi II, Nuoro, Italy’ by South African artist Zanele Muholi echoes the work of William Kentridge and David Goldblatt in the Fondation Louis Vuitton’s permanent collection. Courtesy of Stevenson, Cape Town and Johannesburg

The highly regarded exhibition is bound to become one of the crucial events that contributed to promoting African art in international circles.

On the other side of the channel, in London, the Serpentine Gallery unveiled its 17th temporary pavilion in late June, dreamt up by award-winning Burkinabe architect Diébédo Francis Kéré. Taking social and ecological factors into account, Francis Kéré opted for a stripped-down steel and wood structure resembling a large tree canopy under which people can gather, hoping to bring a little of Africa’s community-oriented way of life to Kensington Gardens.

Another year, another Serpentine Gallery Pavilion. This year's by Francis Kéré is rather wonderful, inspired by the tree that serves as a meeting place in the village in Burkina Faso where Kéré grew up @kerearchitecture @serpentineuk #architecture #london

A post shared by Ben Hobson (@benedicthobson) on Jun 20, 2017 at 1:48am PDT