The third edition of 1-54, the Contemporary African Art Fair will take place at the La Mamounia Palace Hotel from February 22-23, 2020. The prestigious location is where Alfred Hitchcock wrote the Birds and Winston Churchill had his own private suite. The event is held annually with editions in London and New York. The African Art Fair’s creative dynamic platform encourages an artistic and intellectual dialogue between artists within Morocco, Africa, and the diaspora.
In 2019, the 1-54 exhibition hall featured 18 international galleries and over 65 established and emerging artists in Africa. The event name “1-54” is a reflection of the 54 African contents and is founded and directed by Touria Glaoui, the daughter of the renowned Moroccan painter, Hassan El Glaoui. After launching editions of 1-54 in London (2013) and then New York (2015), she debuted the art fair in Marrakech in 2018. Gloui’s dream has always been to showcase 1-54 on her own continent. “We want to form deeper connections to this culturally rich city and give visitors a great insight into its thriving art scene,” said Glaoui.
This annual show transforms Marrakech into a supportive art network. In the past, MACAAL (The Museum of African Contemporary Art Al Maaden) and Yves Saint Laurent’s Couture Museum have hosted special events in collaboration with 1-54.
The theme for the third edition of 1-54 has yet to be announced. In 2019, the show centered it’s message around the surrealist movement, using the poem ‘Black Flowers’ written by African American painter Ted Joan as an inspiration.