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At the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair

This week, 1-54 Marrakech is hosting 17 leading galleries from across Africa and Europe, featuring work from more than 60 artists, including Dominique Zinkpè and Sory Sanlé

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Text by Rab Messina

After successful series openings in London —since 2013— and New York —since 2015—, the 1-54 fair is moving to Marrakech for its first edition in Africa.

This week’s event, set at La Mamounia, will host works from 17 galleries hailing from Côte d’Ivoire —such as LouiSimone Guirandou Gallery and Galerie Cécile Fakhoury—, Morocco —including Loft Art Gallery, L’Atelier 21 and VOICE Gallery— and Nigeria —represented by Art Twenty One.

The roster also includes representatives from Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the United States and the United Kingdom.

These galleries will present pieces by more than 60 artists from varied regional backgrounds, including Angola, Cameroon, Madagascar, Tunisia, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal and Eritrea. Three will have their own solo shows: Dominique Zinkpè (Galerie Vallois), Ouattara Watts (Sitor Senghor) and Sory Sanlé (Yossi Milo Gallery).

“The Marrakech edition is 1-54’s ‘homecoming’ in a sense, as the dream has always been to have a well-founded presence on the African continent,” said Touria El Glaoui, the founding director of 1-54.

The fair will be rounded up by FORUM, an extensive programme of artist talks and panel discussions with curators, artists and cultural producers.

1-54 Marrakech will take place at La Mamounia on February 24-25

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Aboudia, Massa Massa, 2017 - Galerie Cécile Fakhoury
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An untitled piece by Ouattara Watts - Sitor Senghor
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Namsa Leuba - Mamiwata Weke
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Abdoulaye Konaté, Noir-bleu aux triangles et cercles rouges - Blain Southern
Dominique Zinkpè, Colonne Humaine -  Galerie Vallois
Dominique Zinkpè, Colonne Humaine - Galerie Vallois
Saâd Ben Cheffaj, Nature morte - L’Atelier 21
Saâd Ben Cheffaj, Nature morte - L’Atelier 21
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