Maridadi (Swahili for ‘beautiful with style’) The incredible growth of contemporary art Long overlooked by the art market, contemporary African art is now on the rise…
Maridadi (Kiswahili for ‘beautiful with style’)
The incredible growth of contemporary art
Long overlooked by the art market, contemporary African art is now on the rise. Until very recently, we wondered whether this was merely a passing trend, but it turns out that today, contemporary African art is a key player on the international market. Museums, major institutions and foundations (Centre Pompidou, Tate Modern, MoMA) have helped to bring the continent’s artists into the spotlight. At the same time, numerous specialist art fairs have sprung up in Africa, Europe and the United States (1:54 in London in 2013, AKAA in Paris since 2015), which has contributed to the “legitimacy” and recognition of these artists.
Although the exhibitions “Magiciens de la terre” (1989) and “Africa Remix” (2005), held in France, are considered to be the first major events, 2017 marked a turning point in the evolution of this market. Indeed, in 2017, numerous events such as Art/Afrique at the Fondation Louis Vuitton, Afrique Capitales in Paris and Lyon, and the 1-54 exhibition (created by Touria El Glaoui) brought African art to the forefront and enabled it to reach a wider audience. In 2021, the Africa 2020 season, postponed due to the Covid pandemic, confirmed the significant place of African art by once again showcasing the continent’s artists.
It is also worth noting that auctions at the major auction houses are breaking unprecedented records. The auction house Artcurial was a pioneer in organising its first sale dedicated to contemporary African art in Paris in 2010, featuring 65 artists representing 24 nationalities. The 2018 edition enabled the department to set 12 world records in two years for artists such as Bodys Isek Kingelez, Malick Sidibé, Omar Victor Diop, Abdoulaye Konaté and Seydou Keïta. The latest auction organised by Bonhams attracted bids from all over the world, with interest from the Far East being particularly strong.
"It’s a very buoyant market. There are works by African artists fetching over £1 million (754.3 million CFA francs) and other works by African artists fetching £500,000 (377.15 million CFA francs), whereas a few years ago, they were fetching only £10,000 to £15,000 (7.54 million to 11.3 million CFA francs)," says Mr Peppiatt, head of modern and contemporary African art at Bonhams auction house. (source: bbc.com).
5 must-watch young artists
(non-exhaustive list)
Amoako Boafo – Ghana
Amoako Boafo is a Ghanaian painter born in 1984 in Accra who lives and works in Vienna. His rise to prominence has been impressive. He is now ranked among the world’s most sought-after African artists. He was discovered by the American artist Kehinde Wiley on Instagram. When he first appeared at auction, Amoako Boafo achieved the unprecedented price of $881,000 at Phillips in London (13 February 2020) for his famous painting, The Lemon Bathing Suit. His status was confirmed when, in December 2021, his painting Hands Up was valued at $3.4 million. Through his work, Amoako Boafo seeks to challenge the stereotypes that associate Blackness with negative connotations. His Black figures are luminous and always set against a colourful backdrop. His portraits of Black people speak of him, his past and his present.
"The main idea behind my practice is to represent, document, celebrate and showcase new ways of approaching the concept of ‘Blackness’.
Hands up, oil on canvas, Amoako Boafo, 2018
Aboudia - Ivory Coast
Collectors are hugely enthusiastic about Aboudia Abdoulaye Diarrassouba. His paintings are flying off the shelves in Marrakech, London, Paris, New York, Hong Kong and Beijing. The price of his works has increased tenfold in less than a decade. On 26 October 2022, three of his paintings found buyers at the “Génération 21” sale organised by the French auction house Artcurial. Born in 1983 in Côte d’Ivoire, Aboudia now lives between Abidjan and Brooklyn. He draws inspiration from the graffiti drawn by young people on the walls in the streets of Abidjan, particularly in the working-class neighbourhoods of Abobo, Yopougon and Treichville. Aboudia examines daily life in Côte d'Ivoire, with a particular focus on the conflict that broke out in 2011. These events inspired him to create a series of 21 large canvases depicting human bodies scattered amongst guns, skulls and razed buildings. 
The Adventurer, Aboudia
Toyin Ojih Odutola - Nigeria/United States
Toyin Ojih Odutola was born in 1985 and lives in New York. She was ranked among the world’s top 500 artists in 2021 (based on sales revenue). The latest record achieved for a large charcoal drawing (November 2021) stands at $2.2 million. Her work explores the socio-political construction of skin colour through her drawings, with the underlying question: “What does it mean to be Black?”. Her figurative work draws inspiration from her own journey: she describes herself as the child of an immigrant. 
Paris Apartment, 2016–17, graphite, pastel and pencil on paper, 151 x 107 cm. Courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, NY. Toyin Ojih Odutola
Eddy Kamuanga Ilunga – Democratic Republic of the Congo
Born in 1991, Eddy lives in Kinshasa. Since his debut at auction in 2017, the price of his works has increased fivefold. Some of his works fetch up to $150,000. Eddy Kamuanga Ilunga exhibits in Paris, London, Madrid, New York and Kinshasa! His works form part of the permanent collection of the Zeitz Mocaa in Cape Town and the Pizzuti Collection at the Columbus Museum of Art. His work draws heavily on the political, economic and social upheavals his country has experienced since the end of colonial rule. He is deeply affected by the stark contrast between his country’s wealth in terms of metal ores and the violence and wars that result from it. His canvases explore the appalling issues surrounding the exploitation of local populations to gain control of resources coveted by digital multinationals. His original work draws on tradition, featuring images and symbols inspired by the Mangbetu people. 
Oluwol Omofemi - Nigeria
Born in the city of Ibadan in 1988, Oluwol Omofemi is the artist selected to create the cover for the issue celebrating Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, published in July 2022 in the highly prestigious British magazine Tatler.
“I painted this portrait for my generation, for my family and my country, so that history will remember that it was a Nigerian from Ibadan who created it.”
In recent years, Oluwol Omofemi has joined the ranks of “star” artists and has held two solo exhibitions at the Signature Art Gallery in London: “The Way We Were” in 2020 and “In Our Days” in 2021. Since the start of the year, the artist has sold works totalling over a million dollars. This artist’s signature style is his masterful depictions of the contemporary Black portrait against luminous backgrounds. 