By Nii B. Andrews.
AKAA (Also Known As Africa), a unique art fair in France and dedicated to contemporary African Art (CAA) was held successfully in Paris from November 9 – 11.
The venue was the Carreau du Temple; 45 international galleries participated – a marked increase from the 25 that were involved in the maiden edition.
A vibrant cultural element complimented the commercial aspect of the fair.
Researchers, curators, designers, architects and musicians engaged in comprehensive public dialogues on the current hot button issues in African art.
“We are a fair that is very open to young galleries for example galleries that have just opened or galleries who don’t have the traditional format of a gallery, for example, internet galleries or galleries that don’t have a physical space”, stated Victoria Mann the Founder and Director of AKAA.
She emphasized that AKAA has demonstrated that CAA has an unshakeable place within the international art market.
An interesting aspect of this year’s fair was that some galleries highlighted contemporary African artists whose work was rooted in traditional classic African art.
Thus collectors and patrons could see beyond the dated separate categorization of CAA from traditional African art forms.
I l😍ve the Blue Ibeji. It’s the kind of art piece that imprints in your memory. Thanx for sharing.