Frieze London, 1-54, the BFI Film Festival and other side missions
Every year in October sees a host of cool arts and cultural events happening across the capital city
Every October around the second week, is the cultural highlight of the year. So many things happening at once and it makes sense as that’s when a lot of people– including international visitors are gathered in the city. It’s a hectic period where one week sees two art fairs– Frieze London and 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair as well as the two-week screenings and film-related events occurring at the BFI London Film Festival. It’s a time when the meaning of sleep is forgotten and your legs and feet get used to their maximum capacity. It’s not uncommon to clock over many thousands of steps a day during the weeks (I certainly achieved 15- 20,000 steps and more though felt its effects).
Despite how busy the two weeks in October are, it’s a great time to see amazing art in person as well as catch up with old friends and make new ones. Sure you might come across the occasional pretentious person but for the most part, people are just as excited as you attending these events and seeing all there is to offer in the world of arts and culture.
Below is a summary of events that happened over 2 weeks in October.
My highlights at 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair:
As well as running around to see the artworks (not literally but it felt like that at times) and catch a screening at the BFI LFF, I was on an assignment for ARTnews. I was commissioned to review seven out of the 60+ galleries that exhibited many works of international artists from the African diaspora. No small feat as there were a few more I wanted to add to the list but in the end, condensed them to the ones that made a big impact.
1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair is the first and right now the only art fair dedicated to contemporary art from the continent and its diaspora. Founded by French-Moroccan entrepreneur Touria El Glaoui, it has three editions a year– London, New York and Marrakesh, opening their first one in the UK capital in 2013 at Somerset House (where it’s been held since). For the 2024 edition– their 12th one, the artists I reviewed are Megan Gabrielle Harris for OOA Gallery, Sol Golden Sato for The Bomb Factory Art Foundation, Rugiyatou Jallow for Albertz Benda, Deborah Segun and Samuel Olayombo for ADA Contemporary Art Gallery, Theresa Weber for October Gallery, Nicolas Coleman for PM/AM Gallery and Silvana Mendes for Portas Vilaseca Galeria.
You can read the review of my selections on ARTnews.
My highlights at Frieze London:
I attended Frieze London for the second time this year and it once again reminded me what a labyrinth it is to navigate the hundreds of booths in its entirety. However, I must say that I didn’t find it too stressful this time (maybe because I wasn’t writing about it as I did in 2023 for ARTnews), as I attended on Friday rather than Thursday where all the press, important VIPs and rich people looking to splurge on art descend to the location in Regent’s Park. I was there to look at the cool art with an artist friend of mine Orry Shenjobi.
Some of my favourite works which I posted on my instagram art page Art History Talks, include Peter Uka for Mariane Ibrahim Gallery, Shaqúelle Whyte for Pippy Houldsworth Gallery, Zéh Palito for Perrotin Gallery, Cinga Samson for White Cube and Zadie Xa for Thaddaeus Ropac.
BFI London Film Festival:
I sadly didn’t have much time in my busy schedule to attend many of the events and screenings that happened at this year’s BFI London Film Festival, but the one event I could not miss was the Denis Villeneuve screen talk. He’s one of my favourite directors working today and hearing him talk about all his work to date with actor and comedian Brett Goldstein was such a privilege. My respect for him grew even more.
Side missions:
Aside from going to the art fairs and the BFI LFF, I also did other side missions– attending art exhibitions happening across London. Such as my curator and director friend Bolanle Tajudeen’s brilliant debut show with Bolanle Contemporary (she’s the founder). She exhibited the works of Congolese artist Djofray Makumbu.
“The immersive presentation by Djofray Makumbu, whose series of paintings—rooted in his father’s archival photo albums—captures the essence of home and community. Using a muted palette of earthy browns, soft yellows, and greys, Djofray creates a warm, nostalgic atmosphere,” quote via Bolanle Contemporary’s instagram post about the exhibition.
I also attended the opening of artist and educator Sonia Boyce’s excellent new exhibition at the Whitechapel Gallery titled An Awkward Relation. Created to be “in dialogue with the exhibition of Brazilian artist Lygia Clark, The I and the You,” Boyce explores the role of hair as both a “material and cultural signifier.” Also on display is the video installation We move in her way (2017).
Lastly, I went to see artist and stage designer Es Devlin’s fantastic choral installation titled Congregation. Curated by Ekow Eshun, the large-scale project was created in support of the United Nations Refugee Agency, commissioned by Kings College London in partnership with The Courtauld. It features huge portraits in charcoal and chalk of 50 Londoners who experienced forced displacements from their home countries. The work explains their stories and how they made the city their home and contributed to it. It showcases the diversity in London and how interconnected we are despite all the politics that create divisions and incite violent unrest.
The installation is accompanied by a soundscape composed by Polyphonia in collaboration with choreographer Botis Seva and filmmaker Ruth Hogben.
In the other display areas of the exhibit, there’s a story into the context of the installation and how it reflects historical events– riots against immigrants that happened in London in 1571 as you can see in this image:
Overall it’s been a great two weeks of seeing incredible art this October 2024.
I'd never heard of Djofray Makumbu until stumbling across your Substack this morning. What an amazing artist! Excited to have discovered your work - we touch on similar topics.