The Market
Contemporary African art is experiencing a transformative surge — in demand, visibility, and value. The breadth and brilliance of it, is commanding a special place on the international art scene.
A BRIEF OVERVIEW
Contemporary
African Art
A Rapidly expanding landscape
Contemporary African art is experiencing a transformative surge — in demand, visibility, and value. Across auction houses, museums, and private collections, works by artists from Africa and its diaspora are commanding new levels of attention and acclaim.
In 2019, Christine (1971) — a long-lost portrait by Nigerian artist Ben Enwonwu — resurfaced in a London apartment and shattered expectations. Estimated at £150,000, it sold at Sotheby’s for £1.1 million. The sale not only broke records; it signalled a wider awakening to the brilliance and collectability of African art.
Ben Enwonwu | Christine, 1971
Eclectic. Exciting. Stimulating Intercultural Dialogue.
African art is no longer peripheral. It has emerged as one of the most dynamic and diverse categories within the global market. From painting and sculpture to photography, textiles, and mixed media, the sheer breadth of work emerging from the continent is reshaping collecting priorities and artistic discourse.
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Demand is high — and rising
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Auction results are routinely exceeding estimates
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Global institutions are expanding their collections
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New collectors are entering the space at pace
Shifting Perceptions. Challenging Clichés.
For much of the 20th century, African art was overlooked by the Western canon — often flattened into ethnographic categories or excluded from contemporary critical discourse. While progress has been made, many African artists remain under-recognised, and their work undervalued relative to peers in Western or Asian markets.
There remains a perception gap — shaped by reductive narratives about the continent itself. The African Art Series was created to contribute to the shift: reframing Africa not through sentiment or spectacle, but through artistic merit, curatorial rigour, and visual excellence.
A Powerful Platform for Engagement
In today’s multicultural society, organisations are rethinking how they engage diverse audiences — not performatively, but meaningfully. Contemporary African art provides a vibrant, credible avenue for brands, cultural institutions, and businesses to participate in visual dialogue with global relevance.
The African Art Series offers a structured way to do so:
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Through curated access to emerging and established talent
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Through placements that activate space and cultural meaning
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Through participation in a movement that is as aesthetic as it is strategic
The Final Frontier?
Despite steady growth, the contemporary African art market still represents less than 1% of the total global art market. This potentially places Africa as the final frontier within the art market landscape. Excitingly so, opportunities in collaborative initiatives and partnerships are driving innovation and growth in the African art ecosystem.
Touria el Glaoui, Founder, 1-54 Art Fair
The opportunity is not just to collect — but to curate, host, and engage. The future of African art is not only unfolding in galleries, but in boardrooms, hotels, restaurants, institutions, and shared spaces.
This is where The African Art Series begins.
Lanre Olagoke MBE | Africa My Beloved, 2016-2018