Nancy Dantas Highlights African Modernism at London 1-54
At the 14th edition of the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair in London, Luso-South African art historian Nancy Dantas is challenging the traditional boundaries of art history. Her new exhibition, part of the “1-54 Presents” program, aims to bridge the gap between the historical and the current by spotlighting the pioneers of African Modernism.
Reclaiming the Narrative
While 1-54 has traditionally focused on the contemporary market, Dantas seeks to remind audiences of the foundational voices that paved the way. “The idea is to integrate modernism into a fair that has traditionally focused heavily on the contemporary,” Dantas told Lusa news agency. By doing so, she repositions these artists at the center of global art history rather than as marginal figures.
The exhibition features a prestigious roster of artists, including Mozambican Bertina Lopes, South African Gerard Sekoto, Ghanaian Kofi Antubam, and Nigerian Uzo Egonu. Other featured masters include Sudanese Ibrahim El-Salahi, Algerian Baya, and Senegalese Papa Ibra Tall.
Art as Anti-Colonial Resistance
Dantas views the Modernist movement in Africa as more than just an aesthetic choice; it was a political statement. “African modernism is a movement that arises in response to colonialism,” she explained, describing it as a conscious attempt to “dismantle colonialism” through the medium of painting.
Inspired by Miriam Makeba’s 1966 song “West Wind” and the ideal of Pan-African unity, the exhibition uses a central axis designed to replicate a body of water, symbolizing the connection between creators across the continent and the diaspora. Dantas highlights the deliberate placement of Bertina Lopes’ work at the entrance, noting its “strong references to Makonde forms” and the concept of the “united body”—a theme echoed in Uzo Egonu’s painting, Dancers.
A Global Platform
Based in Almada, Portugal, and born in Johannesburg, Dantas brings a wealth of expertise to the fair as an honorary researcher at Rhodes University and a collaborator with the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York. While she acknowledges the exhibition is not an exhaustive definition of African Modernism, she describes it as a “complex idea” that must be viewed through multiple prisms.
The 1-54 Fair, founded in 2013 by Touria El Glaoui, takes its name from the 54 countries of the African continent. It remains the premier international platform for African and diasporic art, holding annual editions in London, New York, and Marrakech.
Among the 40 galleries participating this year, Lisbon’s Perve Galeria stands as the sole Portuguese representative. The gallery is showcasing a diverse range of works, including pieces by Mozambicans Teresa Roza d’Oliveira and Reinata Sadimba, alongside a collaborative textile installation by German artist Martin Wöllenstein and Cape Verdean artist Sara Fonseca da Graça (Petra.Preta).
The 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair runs in London until October 18.
Image: Pexels – Bence Szemerey
