Petra Mason talks to Touria El Glaoui, 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair Founding Director

By PETRA MASON October 16, 2025

Bringing together the global art community in autumnal London, 1-54, the leading art fair dedicated to contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora coincides with Frieze London and Frieze Masters. Walking through the hallowed and historic halls abundant with contemporary African art is a triumph for the continent. 1-54 RAW Material Company partnership keeps Koyo Kouoh (1968 - 2025) legacy far reaching.

Petra Mason: Last time we spoke in New York in 2018. 1-54 is now 24/7/365 and includes Marrakech and New York Editions. Thankfully, you have a degree in strategic management and international affairs! Tell us about 1-54 London 2025.

Touria El Glaoui: We are thrilled to be back at Somerset House for our 13th Edition. This year we are proud to showcase an exceptional selection of galleries spanning five continents, with a strong representation from the African continent itself – notably from Nigeria and South Africa. We’re also excited to welcome a significant portion of new galleries to the London Edition.  

© Tamar Mason, courtesy of Pippy Houldsworth Gallery Title: Reflection Medium: Hand embroidery on fabric Size: 147 x 89cm 

PM: In celebration of Koyo Kouoh (1967-2025) 1-54 has a convening by RAW Material Company. Billed as a day of artistic exploration and knowledge sharing as our speakers discuss the idea of institution building as a curatorial practice. Please explain further. 

TEG: 1-54 Forum this year brings together artists, curators, academics, and cultural leaders and explores themes central to Koyo Kouoh’s curatorial practice: decoloniality, cultural exchange, and the amplification of African and diasporic narratives. Curated by RAW Material Company, the Dakar-based art centre Koyo founded, the programme blends historical reflection with forward-looking discussions, fostering cross-generational dialogue. 

PM: Contemporary African art is making a historic impact on contemporary art and culture. How did we get to this point?

TEG: I believe we are at this point through labored progression, a process of learning, exchange, reconfiguring and building as a result of innumerable socio-political influences and contributors. Art of Africa and its diasporas has long had an impact on art and culture worldwide. However, it is only now that it is more widely disseminated, acknowledged, and its practitioners valued more appropriately. Contemporary art is in dialogue with fashion, music, literature, food, politics and more: That is what makes it so impactful. Hints of the long-term effects are already apparent, we are seeing an enthusiasm to continue investing in infrastructural development that will support these expressions. There is an imperative to dig deeper and redefine presupposed boundaries, a rewriting of sorts led by artists and cultural practitioners. There are also critical conversations happening that address sustainability and the ethics of practice.

PM: What is the origin of 1-54?

TEG: It all began in 2013 with the first London edition, and there was a lot of research and development work happening in the years leading up to it. We were confident that what we were doing was essential in addressing the lack of diversity in the international art market. However, we could not be certain until it came to fruition that it would be received by audiences in the way that it has. In 2015, we launched the New York iteration and in 2018 had the inaugural Marrakech edition. Our aim was always to have a cross-continental platform, and we chose sites that we felt could support the 1-54 vision and challenge us.The fair gained momentum through forming strong partnerships with people and institutions that share our objectives. Through the growing 1-54 network we have been able to expand our reach and engage with new art markets.

Artist Buqaqawuli Nobakada,Courtesy Affinity Gallery. 'Ballgowns are Casual Wear', 2025, Acrylic on hand prepared lace paper, 120 x 148 cm. 

PM: The contemporary art world has historically been an all-boys club. Women artists are finally in the spotlight. How do we keep it that way?

TEG: I think it is about being present and working collectively. What female artists have continued to do is to produce, regardless of whether they are “seen” by the mainstream or not. They have also supported one another through collective practice and mobilizing. Women artists have been required to operate on the margins and in many ways have created a centrality within the very place intended to erase them. As we open ourselves up to what women practitioners have been doing, a more nuanced “herstory” is emerging. What is important is that women remain at the fore of this, as there cannot be transformation if women are excluded from the table. It is a significant time for women artists. In that spirit, look out for this year's courtyard commission by artist Mónica de Miranda’s with her site specific social sculpture: Earthworks. 

Touria El Glaoui La Mamounia © Emmanuel Andre

PM: Top Three Special Projects 2025?

TEG: The Sartorial Spirit of Punk Tailors explores the tension between tradition and rebellion through the lens of African craftsmanship and British tailoring. Paying tribute to their fathers and the discipline passed down through generations, the collective introduces “Punk Tailoring”: a philosophy of precision, care, and defiance. Garments are built, deconstructed, and rebuilt, honouring Savile Row’s legacy while breaking conventions of dress. Spanning multiple rooms, the installation immerses viewers in its philosophy, accompanied by a collaborative capsule collection with 1-54 and Art Comes First.

The Inherited Counter-Archive conceptual photo-studio installation curated by Sana Ginwalla and featuring work by photographer Alick Phiri. The project reimagines Lusaka’s Fine Art Studios, Zambia’s first photographic studio for Black clients, established in the 1950s by Indian-Gujarati photographer Prabhubhai Vilas. Drawing from archives digitised by Ginwalla, the installation combines Phiri’s intimate portraits with historic images and screenprints that consider the layered legacy of the Indian-Zambian diaspora. By constructing a counter-archive rooted in everyday life and resistance, Everyday Lusaka Gallery (Zambia) offers audiences new ways of seeing Lusaka’s histories and identities.

For more than fifteen years, PICHA has been a vital platform for contemporary art in the Democratic Republic of Congo and beyond, hosting the Lubumbashi Biennial and Atelier PICHA while nurturing networks of co-creation. At 1-54, PICHA will present new works by Jean Katambayi Mukendi and Nkembo Moswala, extending its mission to champion meaningful artistic practices rooted in the realities of Katanga and the broader region.   

1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, Somerset House, London 16 – 19 October 2025

Frieze London & Frieze Masters take place 15 - 19 October 2025 in Regent's Park.