1-54 New York Lines-Up More Than 20 Exhibitors, with a Special Focus on Brazil

The 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair has announced the more than 20 galleries that will participate in its upcoming edition, scheduled to run May 13–17 at the Starrett-Lehigh Building in Chelsea.

The fair takes place in tandem with Frieze New York at the Shed, and another fair, NADA New York, will also be on view at the Starrett-Lehigh. 1-54 returns to the iconic Chelsea building after last hosting its 2024 iteration there.

The fair will feature a mix of returning galleries, like 193 Gallery, Galerie Myrtis, and Kates-Ferri Projects, alongside first-time participants, like Adegbola Gallery (of Lagos), Aura (São Paolo), The Current: Baha Mar Gallery & Art Center (Nassau), and Picture Theory Projects (New York).

“This year’s exhibitors underscore 1-54’s international reach, welcoming many first-time participants from across Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, and the Americas. Each edition strengthens our commitment to championing diverse perspectives and connecting audiences to the dynamic and ever-expanding narratives of the African diaspora,” 1-54 founding director Touria El Glaoui said in a statement.

This edition of 1-54 will also feature the introduction of a new curated section, titled “1-54 Presents: Brazil Beyond Brazil.” Organized by independent curator Igor Simões, the section will highlight the work of Afro-Brazilian artists, nodding to Brazil’s history as the largest African-descendent nation outside of the continent. “Brazil Beyond Brazil” will present works that “engage archival research, reinterpret modernist legacies, and interrogate the construction of national and art historical narratives,” according to a release.

“With ‘Brazil Beyond Brazil’ we extend 1-54’s mission to create dialogue and exchange across geographies by foregrounding Afro-Brazilian perspectives,” El Glaoui told ARTnews by email. “Igor Simões’s presentation challenges reductive readings of Brazilian art and instead embraces the depth, complexity, and rigor of artists who are reshaping how we understand African identity and diaspora on a global stage.”

The full exhibitor list follows below.