In the absence of the major fairs and auctions, Modern and contemporary African art is in the spotlight in London this week.
Frieze Week is normally abuzz with a cavalry of collectors, curators, dealers and art advisers who descend on London and its melee of art fairs, auctions and parties. Not quite so this year. But, in the absence of the biggest hitting events, contemporary African art is taking centre stage—some of it in real life....
Among the highlights of this week’s sale is a group of 11 works by Enwonwu, who is also the subject of a presentation by Kó gallery in Frieze Masters’ online viewing room.
Kavita Chellaram, the founder of Kó, says Nigeria’s rich history of art has been “sidelined” in the past and “needs to be rectified”. She adds: “Ben Enwonwu was working at the same time as European and US contemporaries such as Henry Moore, Alberto Giacometti and Aaron Douglas—and even shown alongside Picasso. Yet, since his death, he has not maintained the same level of international recognition. Showing his work in the context of Frieze Masters illuminates the relationship between Enwonwu’s work and the international development of Modern and contemporary art.”....
