Pioneering art fair 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair was the first to be affected. Its New York iteration, scheduled to take place in May alongside Frieze New York, was postponed until May 2021. The fair then turned to Artsy, an online platform for buying and selling art, and held the fair digitally as a last-minute resort. 1-54’s London edition is still due to take place from 8-11 October, but as all events scheduled this year, the remaining months of 2020 are shrouded in uncertainty due to the coronavirus.

On 20 May, 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair held the first of a series of weekly online discussions on The Future of contemporary African Art Fairs in a Post-Covid World. Panelists included Tokini Peterside, founder and director of Art x Lagos; Victoria Mann, founder and director AKAA (Also Known As Africa) and Mandla Sibeko, founding director of FNB Art Joburg. 

Lockdowns around the world have provided galleries, artists, curators and fair directors with the opportunity of time—time to do what they previously didn’t have time to do. However, uncertainty still plagues the air. It’s been impossible to plan for the Autumn art season. “There’s more time now for galleries to rethink their stocks, their visibility online, their communication with artists and how to promote them,” said Mann. “But there’s also this weariness of the future and the lack of visibility. What if the virus comes back? It’s so hard to move forward in this very dark tunnel.”

“It’s so true,” agreed El Glaoui from quarantine in France. “We make numerous plans about what could happen or couldn’t happen. You make a decision and then have to change it.”

All the panelists agreed that pre Covid-19 the art world was moving at top speed and then, all of a sudden, it just stopped.

“It’s been quite a change for us in South Africa,” said Sibeko. “We are going through what the government has come to call ‘terms’ or ‘stages.’ We are now moving to stage four. There’s been a restrictive movement of people and no flights. It’s been a very tough period for South Africa, especially from an art perspective. All sectors have been affected. This virus has affected all of us—the poor, the rich, the wealthy, black and white. And that’s quite humbling.”

“The challenge is that we are all going to come out of this at different stages and that’s the scary part,” continued Sibeko, “Maybe when South Africa comes out of the coronavirus Nigeria might not be ready and Cameroon might not be ready or maybe Nigeria will be ahead of South Africa, you never know. It is looking like the ‘peak’ will be coming later in the year for South Africa.”

Peterside explained that Lagos had been placed on lockdown late in March and around two weeks ago the lockdown was eased.

“The government has called for an ‘intelligent lockdown’ meaning that because of the high population density that you have in Lagos, it was very difficult for the government to persist with a total shutdown. You have large masses within the population that were very badly affected by the lockdown. Today you have a situation where critical businesses are open—businesses where people could not work from home.”

“Sadly, for the art scene there are no shows,” added Peterside. “Galleries are unable to open at this time. It has been quite a trying period for the art industry here. What we are seeing is that the galleries are in a difficult position, but we are hopeful with regards to the peak. We do not know when the peak will come and we don’t believe we have hit the peak thus far. There’s an expectation in the city that in September and October events can start taking place again but we are still not 100 percent sure. We are hoping to see some movement around Q3 and Q4.”

The real issue, affirmed the panelists, lies in the financial state of the art galleries. “South African galleries have dominated the art industry in this part of the world,” said Sibeko. “They have been flying the flag for a long time for African art. With these galleries being so heavily affected it has such an impact in the way that they will participate in any international fairs going forward.” 

In Paris the so-called “peak” has been reached. On 11 May, after eight weeks of lockdown, France eased its restrictions and allowed businesses to gradually re-open. “We are now starting to de-confine,” said Mann. “The state of mind here is that yes, life is picking up again and businesses are re-opening but not everything: Restaurants, cafes, cinemas, and theaters remain closed. However, many businesses have been able to resume their activity, and this includes art galleries.”

“But we can’t just pick up from where we left off,” she continued. “There is this current state of mind that realizes that our attitude has to change. The virus is still here and we are still living with it until the world finds a vaccine or a treatment to cure it.” 

Adapting To A New Normal

The big questions on everyone lips are: How do we resume our lives and our activities while co-existing with this virus? “Everyone fears a second wave of lockdowns, which would be economically very dramatic,” said Mann. “However, there’s this new energy in the air—this positive thinking regarding how we change the way that we handle our businesses.”

As soon as September hits art fair season will be upon the art world once again. The respective fairs directed by each panelist continue to be scheduled for September through November. But questions remain regarding whether they will still run or have to be postponed. Each panelist stressed the need now to redefine how each fair operates. One of the challenges has to do with the lack of visibility for galleries and fairs for the upcoming months. How can galleries and fairs continue to promote their artists and their programming digitally as nations continue to struggle with re-opening? Communication, everyone stressed, is crucial, and in the absence of the physical gallery space, the digital sphere is where art viewing and discussions must take place, at least for now. 

Art Joburg, scheduled to take place from September 4-6, is the first fair dedicated to African art on the Autumn calendar. Sibeko will most likely be the first to make a decision as to whether or not to postpone this year’s fair.

“It’s been interesting to view the cycle of this virus,” he said. “As soon as things start to reactivate, things don’t actually happen in that way. Tourism has come to a standstill in South Africa. I don’t know if and how the government will find a way to revive this sector and South Africa has a big tourism industry.”

Witnessing what takes place for tourism Sibeko says helps him decide on whether to host Art Joburg in September. “We are looking at changing dates or at least a postponement,” he said. “The ideal situation is to still host the fair if our peak gets under control at some point in August or September. At this point, I don’t know what will happen as our economy is really suffering and many businesses, big and small, are starting to really struggle.”

One option Sibeko said was to host the fair online. “I think it’s a bridge. It’s obviously not the same as a physical art fair, but we will get there eventually. We need to see what stage we are in over the next few months. Right now, we are not allowed to have public gatherings.” 

El Glaoui stated that 1-54 was even considering hosting a more “local” fair with galleries who are unable to travel and not residing in countries with travel bans. “I have been imagining what could happen without a fair in October,” she said. “I still want to sustain the galleries who have been working with us one way or the other—perhaps by helping them share space with other galleries from the continent in London because some of them may not have galleries anymore by then. I have also thought of hosting a parcours in London of works by various galleries or bringing our guests to different spaces for shows in the city if we are unable to host the fair.”

Of Art X Lagos, which is still scheduled to take place November 6-8, Peterside said: “We are hopeful it can still happen. Our first priority is to make sure we are fully compliant in health and safety measures if we do go ahead.”

The Lagos fair has always sustained strong local and international support—last year it hosted over 30 people as part of the Tate Acquisitions of Contemporary African Art. “We hope that by November there will be a desire and a hunger for the kind of uplifting experience that Art X Lagos provides. When it comes to international travel, we can’t say 100 percent what will happen so to connect with people remotely via digital platforms, like Mandla stated, is crucial.” 

Battling Financial Crisis

“The safety is what is most crucial for everyone right now but there is also the question of economic health,” continued Mann. “Big and small galleries are suffering and that is something to take into consideration in terms of economics.“

As Peterside stressed, communication and collaboration are key: “It’s more important than ever today to communicate with one another—galleries and collectors and institutions—to find solutions that allow us to overcome not only the blocks that permit us to be physically present somewhere but also to overcome the fear that surrounds this situation that cannot go unnoticed.”

But what are the galleries saying about the crisis that has brought the art world to an utter standstill? Are galleries more sensitive now about committing to a fair? El Glaoui said that while 1-54 is usually strict on applications with galleries having to submit their applications in February and to receive their response by March, after what happened to its New edition the fair has loosened its deadlines. 

“Some galleries are excited about reopening and others are really worried about how they will make it through the next few months,” said El Glaoui. “We need to support each other as much as we can.”

“There’s no global consensus,” said Mann. “Because each gallery and each business is confronted with their own set of difficulties to overcome then it automatically impacts the way that they envision the future. For many of them what is perhaps the shared global concern is the lack of being able to make a decision regarding the fall calendar.” 

The biggest burden for everyone is the economic strain of the crisis. “In terms of economics there is a necessity of reducing risks,” added Mann. “We cannot expect a gallery today to confirm and pay for a booth for an event in November without having any idea of what the situation is going to be like then. We have to adapt to this situation, and this can only be done through communication.”

The Question of Mobility

The other big challenge is mobility. Today the borders are closed but what about tomorrow? How will international galleries near and far get to one another when we do not know when the borders will open again? How will the transporter prices be affected by the current crisis? What are going to be customs rules from now on? How will galleries work alongside art fairs to facilitate art transportation within a world where travel will be altogether a question and rethought by everyone?

All of these questions are crucial in making future plans.

“We have been rethinking everything on all dimensions. There is a plan A, B, C, D, E, F and G because certainty is the one thing that we all do not have at the moment,” said Peterside.

A Determined Spirit

Regardless, all panelists agreed that there’s also this unyielding spirit in the air to move forward and not just shut down. “We actors of the art world can’t just expect the art world to fall apart; we have to continue carrying it together,” said Mann.

This particularly pertains to the young African art market that has witnessed impressive growth over the last decade. “It’s more important now than ever now for us to keep developing the scene,” added Mann. “We need to find solutions for a not-so-near but not-so-distant future so that we can keep promoting the careers of these artists that we so fervently believe in.” 

“We have been in conversation with our galleries and they have really appreciated the outreach,” said Peterside. “We are not putting pressure on galleries at this point in time. A lot of galleries have struggled over the last few months and at Art X Lagos we are trying to see where we can alleviate some of that pain.”

Clearly, it’s all about survival during this period of unprecedent crisis. But survival doesn’t need to take place alone; on a collective level it ensures the survival not just of the individual but the African art scene as a whole. 

“Even being closed for a week is hard for the galleries in South Africa,” said Sibeko, “And being closed for two months is way too long. The big question is how will the galleries survive? My worry revolves around the work that we have been doing for art in this part of the world. I feel that an Africa that is weak from a collecting perspective is not a good one for the future of the scene.”

“It’s been quite devasting for me to see the amount of progress that has been made by a small group of galleries to just fly this flag at all costs for the African art market and then to suddenly have to stop,” he added. “Is the local market enough to sustain these businesses given that many have gone international and are participating in major art fairs all over the world?”

Collaboration Is Key

What about the artists? Who will take care of the artists who are having trouble selling and exhibiting their art during this period? “The vast number of artists on the continent are not exclusively represented by galleries,” said Peterside. “It’s so important to sustain the momentum of their work. But what will happen to those artists currently deprived of gallery shows and fairs? How are they going to be able to sustain their practices?”

Collaboration and supporting Africa’s burgeoning artists is key during this period. The panellists agreed that what needs to be done is to find ways to support young talent within the African art market. As Mann said, “Ultimately, it’s about joining together and working to progress all of creativity we have worked so hard to achieve.”

“Let’s open up the dialogue so that we can all come out of this stronger,” said Mann. “All the work that has been done over past few years is not about to vanish. On the contrary, it’s going to show what resilience we all have to surpass these types of world events. Today it is Covid but we don’t know what will be next and that’s part of the game: In this field we all need to come up with creative solutions.”

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In light of the current pandemic, Ellen Agnew for Artskop3437 spoke to Mlengeya to find out more about her work and practice – especially during these trying times.

Ellen Agnew: Your works focus primarily on the lives of black women, specifically on the “ties between women and the roles unity, support and friendship have in re-constructing their position in society”. Could you perhaps expand on this – how do these ‘notions’ inform women’s societal standing?

Sungi Mlengeya: I know how important it is to be close to people who share the same views as I do, or – more importantly – people who inspire me. 

If people believe in a certain way of life religiously because that is what was passed on to them, without having any instinctive insights nor influence of a person who thinks differently and questions these practices, they will continue to practice that way of life without question and also pass it on to others – it is difficult to change. 

So, when a person in a community is brave enough to question norms, and is backed up by likeminded people and they inspire others to think differently, it becomes easier to achieve movement towards a better standing, through their unified voice.

E.A: Working in acrylic paint on canvas, you explore ‘space’ in a minimalistic manner. What is your thinking behind this, and how does it relate to your focus on black women’s lives?

I stumbled into the minimalist space in one of the earliest paintings I made, and I remember how free I felt knowing that I could choose to paint or leave out anything I wanted, and that I could still be bold by being simple. Using negative space makes me focus more on my subjects, and the high contrast it creates makes it difficult not to pay attention to them.

For the longest time, black women have been associated with hardship and suffering. In my paintings, they rise above all this and become just themselves, giving them the focus that they deserve to be glorified for who they are. The white space becomes a place where these women can be their true and free selves without distraction.

Your body of work, titled Optimism and which was recently exhibited at the Investec Cape Town Art Fair in Cape Town, South Africa, focused on the notion of hope and remaining optimistic. Now, as the entire world finds ourselves in a space of immense uncertainty due to the spread of COVID-19 – would you say that this body of work – or perhaps your work overall – has taken on a whole new meaning?

In these uncertain times, my paintings carry the same meaning, stronger now more than ever; which is to remain strong and optimistic and continue to work towards achieving our desired state – being able to get back to the everyday lives we chose. 

In exploring ‘space’ in your work, you’ve mentioned that this space represents “a place of calm, free and detached from social norms and restrictions, real and imagined, that have altered complete liberty”. With the current limit of both movement and space – a complete alteration of our physical understanding of liberty – how are you navigating this concept within your work?

The space in my work refers to a place that we are longing for. It refers to a freedom of movement and space that we are currently missing – and so can be included in this state that is desired. 

Although this freedom can only be achieved in the future, we are doing what we need to do today to achieve it tomorrow. One of the things I’ve come to learn is that there are certain freedoms that have to be sacrificed in the short term so that they can be enjoyed more sustainably in the long term. 

The space referred to in my work could therefore also be a place of action to include things that are being done now for the future, that is sacrificing our freedom of movement and space so that we can continue to enjoy them later, for longer.

Lastly – how has Tanzania responded to the pandemic, and in turn, how has this response affected your practice? Could you give us an idea of what it’s currently like to be a practicing artist, living and working under some form of ‘lockdown’?

The Tanzanian government has closed schools and other educational institutions, and restricted unnecessary public gatherings, but I have been in Uganda during this time and there is more strict lockdown here. I still paint everyday so despite the absence of social life, my routine has not been heavily affected. I’m grateful that I can still create.

This article is part of the Interview Series 1-54 in partnership with Artskop3437.

The works of Sungi Mlengeya will be presented by Afriart Gallery as part of of the 1-54 online edition on Artsy, available to all on 6 May 2020.

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Many will agree that some of the most interesting art flourishes during difficult times. Art, in the midst of upheaval, often becomes a necessity. It is a way to express anger, frustration and critique society. As the world continues to be ravaged by Covid-19, art is the battle sword for hope.

The African continent, while late to the Covid-19 outbreak, is one of the world’s most vulnerable regions to the virus. On April 7 the World Health Organization (WHO) stated that the number of Covid-19 cases had now risen to more than 10,000, claiming more than 500 lives on the African continent. Coronavirus, while slow to reach Africa, has grown exponentially. A total of 52 countries have reported cases, with the nations of South Sudan and Zimbabwe most at risk, the statement read. As a result, several African nations went into various degrees of lockdown from the end of March.

As health experts warn, Covid-19 in Africa has the potential not only to cause thousands of deaths, but also to foster economic and social devastation. What happens then to the African art market that has been thriving in recent years, booming as many would say? How are galleries, institutions and artists adapting to current the zeitgeist, however temporary?

Tactics For Survival

While larger, more established galleries on the continent have more means to weather out the socio-economic storm inflicted by Covid-19, smaller galleries are finding it more difficult. “Survival is a huge concern,” said founder of Circle Art Gallery in Nairobi Danda Jaroljmek. “I don’t know how many small galleries will survive if this goes on for over three months. The loss of income from walk-in clients, art fair sales and the cancellation of exhibitions—I don’t know how we will survive if it goes on too long,” she added. “Circle has six full- time staff, including our driver and cleaner, myself, the gallery manager, administrator and accountant who are all receiving full salaries and are reliant on the money.” 

However, younger and smaller-sized galleries like South African Guns & Rain are better equipped due to their already expansive digital platform. “Interestingly, Guns & Rain started as an online-only gallery back in 2014, one of the first to do so in Africa,” said owner Julie Taylor. “So, the prospect of being online-only is perhaps less daunting for us than other galleries, even though we now have a physical space in Johannesburg too.”

The ones who are most vulnerable are the younger artists and gallery staff. While some galleries have no choice but to make cuts, others have ramped up their support. “Ahead of our regional lockdowns, we acted fast to order materials for our artists in Zimbabwe and Namibia, so that they would have enough to work with in the coming weeks,” added Taylor. “Similarly, despite modest budgets, we made advances to our small staff and some artists so that they could buy materials and food ahead of lockdown.” Like other spaces, Taylor said speaking regularly via video calls is not only vital to keep the gallery functioning and the work selling, but also “for combating the isolation and anxiety that the pandemic is creating.”

Africa: Always A Rough Terrain

Yet Africa, with its ongoing political tensions and socio-economic issues, its remnants of centuries of colonialism haunting the establishment of present day structures, has always been a challenging terrain to navigate. Many artists and gallerists say they are accustomed to working under challenging conditions. The current lockdown for many has not proved to be as shocking as it has for its western or more “developed” counterparts.

“I take issue with the phrase ‘not much support, and means for hope,” said Valerie Kabov, Director, First Floor Gallery in Harare, Zimbabwe. “There is a tendency to always see Africa as a space for disaster and hopelessness. On the contrary, we are in fact in a space of innovation and much better positioned to address radical new circumstances than art sectors of the developed world.”

“We are not burdened by heavy operation costs, legacy infrastructure and burdens of over-regulation and conservatism of the older generation which makes implementation of new ideas difficult,” she continues. “Most of us in Africa have started galleries in impossible situations and in impossible environments, so the notion that we don’t have means for hope is entirely untrue.” Kabov, like other galleries on the African continent, wishes now that galleries to operate as collective organizations rather than as merely profit-oriented businesses. “We are able to call on all the resources in the organization to help implement projects of support and to effect projects of support,” she adds. “This includes using our resources to provide subsistence income, where necessary, medical care, transport and art materials.”

A Growing Lack Of Resources

But what happens when resources are scarce? Picha, an art center run by a group of artists based in Lubumbashi, DRC, is now closed. The organization supported the Lubumbashi Biennale in 2008 and was also behind the most recent one which culminated in November 2019. “We are trying to reinvent ourselves digitally very quickly,” said Gabriele Salmi, a member of Picha. “Many of the artists are suffering and many are finding it hard to put together one meal per day right now. We are all joining hands to help each other and provide food.”

As of March 26, authorities in DRC closed air, land, sea and ports nationwide. Public gatherings were banned and markets, bars and restaurants are to remain closed until further notice. Most schools and universities will remain closed through at least April 17. Most recently, on April 6, authorities imposed a lockdown in the Gombe municipality of Kinshasa until April 20. Nearly all of the infections, 267 and 22 deaths, have occurred in the country’s capital of Kinshasa.

In South Africa, Johann Rupert launched the Sukama Relief Program, a R1bn ($55,526,948) Covid-19 relief fund. Artists registered as businesses were eligible to apply. However, on April 7, it was announced that the fund would be closed temporarily after receiving R2.8bn in applications. It still has yet to be proven how many South Africans are benefitting from the program and as of yet, there are no wide-sweeping funds or loans to help the arts community in South Africa.

Art Never Stops

On the artist front there’s no doubt that artists will continue creating their work. The problem lies in how they will sell and via what means? For a new market, one that has peaked the interests of collectors in Europe and North America and that has as well a growing group of collectors on the continent itself, the socio-economic effects for the young African art scene could be devastating.

“The African art scene is very much continuing but from home,” said Oumy Diaw, a PR specialist based in Dakar, Senegal. “Of course, there’s a bit less of a buzz. Digital now is the new art tool. Everyone is online now,” she continues. “We see more artists posting their work online which is great because before artists from Senegal were dependent on exhibitions or gallery semi-representation ¹and now, they are doing it on their own. Many artists are producing new work while in confinement. It’s a time for them to concentrate all their efforts on their art. The good news is that we will have more art that will come out of this. Some artists have even created artwork inspired by Covid-19 health crisis.”

Inspired by the current situation where abandoned street scenes are now the normal sight in typically overcrowded African city centers, Senegalese artist Fally Sene Sow, one of the artists selected for Dak’Art, has been making expressionistic paintings of empty streets in disarray, with their vibrantly colored awnings now starkly in view.

The big event on the horizon was the 14th edition of the Dakar Biennale, Africa’s oldest and most prestigious art biennale scheduled to take place from 28 May to 28 June and now postponed until the end of the year, with the dates still to be decided.

At midnight on March 23 Senegal’s President Macky Sall instituted a curfew from 8pm until 6am for 30 days, shutting down all shops and businesses operating in the country, and halted all commercial passenger flights until April 17. Senegal, along with Gambia, closed their borders for 21 days to contain the spread of the virus. Nigerian-American painter Kehinde Wiley’s first Black Rock Residency, which kicked off in June 2019 and runs until April 2020 in Dakar, continues. However, the last artist that was supposed to arrive one week ago was unable to and a Nigerian writer in the residency will need to stay on until flights reopen.

“Everyone who enters into the compound has to wear the mask and be clean,” said Zohra Opoku, a Ghanaian-German artist in the residency. “We are under curfew so need to be back by 8pm. We hope this won’t go on longer than two weeks because we were looking forward to discovering more of Dakar and Senegal. But even though we are on lockdown I have to remind myself how grateful I am to have this studio.”

* First work in the slideshow in the article is a work by artist Zohra Opoku, One of Me I, 2017. Courtesy of the artist and Mariane Ibrahim gallery.

**Second work in the slideshow in the article is a work by Tahir Karmali, Paradise #2, 2019. Acrylic screen print on organic natural dip-dyed canvas. 167.6 x 99.1 cmCourtesy of the artist and Circle Art gallery.

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