A)
“The mission was always to get international visibility for artists from the African continent and the diaspora and finding ways of getting them into different international connections and institutions and become included in the discourse.
International recognition was very, very, low here so we had to be in London or New York, that was the strategy because there were not enough collectors on the continent.
We wanted to show African artists in Africa but we are also a commercial venture and have to rely on the success of the galleries to make sure there is an outcome for all the art that is being presented.”
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The Marrakech edition of 1-54, an art fair dedicated to contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora, will feature an ambitious programme of talks and events.
It begins today.
Ghanaian artist Elisabeth Efua Sutherland will perform BLACK NOISE at 1930 hrs in Gueliz opposite Comptoir des Mines Galerie.
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B)
“We are still dealing with a lot of history and its impact on what is happening to day.
It is not just about those who lived through colonial times but all this history, the past, has a subtle effect on people today — the way the country is structured, the way the government is structured, go back to colonial times so even if people have not experienced those days they will be aware of them.
It shows itself in what might seem small ways.
For example one of our artists finds it hard to travel because there is a lack of infrastructure, there is no consulate and it is difficult to get a visa.
That’s a residue of colonial times.”
TOURIA EL GLAOUI
Founder of the 1:54 Fair.
