Contemporary art from Africa’s status set to rise in 2025 following the appointment of the curatorial board of Africa Basel
By Edward Tsumele, CITYLIFE/ARTS Editor
The international stature of Contemporary art from Africa is set to rise this coming year, 2025, and this follows the announcement of a curatorial Board of Africa Basel comprising influential figures in art on the continent.
The co-founders of Africa Basel – Contemporary African Art Fair are Sven Eisenhut-Hug and Benjamin Füglister.
Africa Basel is the international art fair for contemporary art, specializing in works and artists from Africa and its diaspora.
“As a platform for creative expression and cultural exchange, Africa Basel presents a wide range of artworks that reflect the dynamic and diverse art scene of the African continent. The fair promotes dialog between galleries, collectors, artists and art enthusiasts and helps to further strengthen the growing global interest in African art. Located in the heart of Basel and taking place during Art Basel week, Africa Basel is a central meeting place to explore new perspectives and celebrate Africa’s rich artistic traditions and innovations,” its founding statement reads.
And with the announcement of this curatorial board of individuals respected for their role in the evolution of African art into occupying significant spaces on the global stage, this in many ways is an endorsement of the very much long-awaited recognition of African art globally within global contemporary cultures of the world.
“Africa Basel Contemporary African Art Fair is pleased to announce its curatorial board comprising Azu Nwagbogu, Michèle Sandoz, Serge Tiroche, and Greer Odile Valley, PhD.
The curatorial advisory board of Africa Basel is largely responsible for selecting the participating galleries. The members, consisting of experienced curators, art experts and specialists in African and Afro-diasporic art, ensure that the selected galleries present a diverse and high-quality offering that reflects the cultural and artistic diversity of Africa.
When selecting the galleries, the Board places particular emphasis on ensuring that both established and emerging galleries are represented. This creates a balance between well-known names and new voices, which helps to show a broad spectrum of contemporary art from Africa and the African diaspora.
The curatorial advisory board ensures that the selected galleries present works that express the cultural relevance, creativity and innovation of the African art scene. This creates a balanced, representative and inspiring art experience for visitors that enriches both the international and local art scene,” says a statement following the appointment of the board.
Application for galleries remains open until 31 January 2025. Reach out to application@africabasel.com