MARRAKESH - In Morocco's tourist hub of Marrakesh, a contemporary art fair has energised the local creative scene, drawing on the famed city's aesthetic legacy to propel emerging African artists into the global spotlight.
The annual 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair has drawn collectors, curators and art enthusiasts from across the world, showcasing works from 30 galleries spanning 14 countries, both African and European.
Named in reference to Africa's 54 countries, the fair was launched in London in 2013, before expanding to New York in 2015 and Marrakesh in 2018. This year's Marrakesh edition took place over four days last week.
Unlike larger-scale art fairs such as Art Basel, London's Frieze or Paris's FIAC, it operates on a smaller scale, attracting around 10,000 visitors, including 3,000 from abroad.
But its more intimate setting has proven to be an advantage.
The fair also offered works by a selection of well-known names such as Ghanaian artist Amoako Boafo, whose work was purchased by Britain's prestigious Tate institution at the fair.
Yet much of the event focused on the African continent and rising talents from the diaspora.
Among the works exhibited were those of Ethiopian experimental photographer Maheder Haileselassie Tadesse and Sudanese-Somali ceramicist Dina Nur Satti.
Figurative paintings also marked a strong presence, with pieces from Nigerian painter Chigozie Obi and Ghanaian artist Adjei Tawiah.
Prices ranged from as little as $50 for screen prints to several thousand dollars for larger works.
Moroccan artists and curators not taking part in the fair have also embraced the momentum of 1-54 as it turned the bustling city into a cultural hub.
Nearby galleries and studios held their own exhibitions and visits to capitalise on foreigners flooding into the Ochre City.