To.org Brings Art and Empowerment to 1-54 London

The organization is hoping to build something similar to their Bidi Bidi project in Uganda, in the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya. For the Bidi Bidi project, To.org built a performing arts center, which includes a recording studio, an amphitheater, and a classroom where children learn how to play music. The proposed building in Kenya, designed by South African architect Sumayya Vally, will also include a mental and physical health center, says Dakhli.

According to Dakhli, the approach to curation at 1-54 reflects the organization’s desire to shift away from what he says has become the norm when it comes to African art. “Our point of view was to show a different face of African art — more conceptual and abstract works,” Dakhli explains. “I think a lot of galleries in the last few years have shown a lot of figurative art from the African continent and its diaspora. The goal [for this exhibition] is to show a booth that’s focused on abstraction and conceptual art,” he adds.

To.org’s exhibition boasts an impressive lineup of artists of African descent. “We’re showing the works of Esther Mahlangu from South Africa. We’re excited about her murals. We have Joel Andrianomearizoa from Madagascar, Ghada Amer, Cecile Abish, Remy Jungerman. There’s also Atta Kwami, a very nice painter from Ghana,” Dakhli adds.

The 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair will be held from October 10 through 13, at Somerset House in London — presenting an exciting lineup of projects from across Africa and its diaspora. This year, London-based Nigerian multidisciplinary artist Slawn’sTransition project will transform two London double-decker buses into canvases that explore accessibility and cultural symbols in the city. French Moroccan artist Sophia Kacimi’s interactive installation Zoubida invites visitors into a world where craftsmanship, fashion and interior design merge in the form of a giant chess board crafted in collaboration with Moroccan artisans.

Other key highlights include Making a rukus!, an exhibition exploring Black LGBTQIA+ creativity curated by Topher Campbell and Waves of Change: From Aureol to Modern Britain exhibition by the Nigeria Art Society, which traces the journey of Nigerian artists who have made the U.K. their home.

Five artists — Slimen Elkamel, Derrick O Boateng, Valerie Ohana Azogui, Anaëlle Myriam Chaaib, and Tiffanie Delune — will also explore the intersection of art and fragrance through new works. Additionally, installations like In the Absence by Shabu Mwangi and Ngugi Waweru of Wajukuu Art Project offer immersive spaces for contemplation and emphasize the fair’s commitment to balancing tradition and innovation.