The incredible artists showcasing Africa’s urban scene

By Nosmot Gbadamosi
3 minute read
Updated 9:05 AM EDT, Tue May 10, 2016
"The distant gaze" (2016) by Ethiopian photographer Aida Muluneh. The image is part of a series titled The World is 9, questioning life, love, history and contentment.
"The distant gaze" (2016) by Ethiopian photographer Aida Muluneh. The image is part of a series titled The World is 9, questioning life, love, history and contentment.
Aida Muluneh/David Krut
Please Come Back by Derrick Adams. The multimedia artist works with video, sound and 3D performances often exploring the role popular culture plays in perception.<br />
Please Come Back by Derrick Adams. The multimedia artist works with video, sound and 3D performances often exploring the role popular culture plays in perception.
Galerie Anne de Villepoix
This is the second edition of the exhibition in New York, with returning artists such as Senegalese photographer Omar Victor Diop, Leonce Raphael Agbodjélou, and Aida Muluneh.
This is the second edition of the exhibition in New York, with returning artists such as Senegalese photographer Omar Victor Diop, Leonce Raphael Agbodjélou, and Aida Muluneh.
Katrina Sorrentino/1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair
Em'kal Eyongakpa, untitled, from letters from etokobarek (2014). Eyongakpa is a photographer from Cameroon whose surreal images consider human conditioning and the absorption of information.
Em'kal Eyongakpa, untitled, from letters from etokobarek (2014). Eyongakpa is a photographer from Cameroon whose surreal images consider human conditioning and the absorption of information.
Em'kal Eyongakpa/Apalazzo Gallery
Oumy Ndour (2015) The Studio of Vanities by Omar Viktor Diop. The Senegalese photographer's works are distinguishable through his vivid use of color and patterns.
Oumy Ndour (2015) The Studio of Vanities by Omar Viktor Diop. The Senegalese photographer's works are distinguishable through his vivid use of color and patterns.
Omar Victor Diop
Vincent Michea, Or serie 2 (2015). Working and living in Senegal's capital, Michea's vibrant images aims to capture the country's great past.
Vincent Michea, Or serie 2 (2015). Working and living in Senegal's capital, Michea's vibrant images aims to capture the country's great past.
Vincent Michéa/Galerie Cécile Fakhoury
Vincent Michéa's Or Série lights up black and white images with gold and orange cut papers, his images are a throwback to Senegal's history.
Vincent Michéa's Or Série lights up black and white images with gold and orange cut papers, his images are a throwback to Senegal's history.
Vincent Michéa/Galerie Cécile Fakhoury
"Ficus Carica"(2015) by Zohra Opoku. What political and psychological role does fashion play in relation to Africa's history and societal identities? These are the issues explored by Accra-based mixed media artist Opoku.
"Ficus Carica"(2015) by Zohra Opoku. What political and psychological role does fashion play in relation to Africa's history and societal identities? These are the issues explored by Accra-based mixed media artist Opoku.
Zohra Opoku/Mariane Ibrahim Gallery
Fashion designers Art Comes First photographed in the Studio of Vanities (2014) by Omar Viktor Diop. The series aims to capture Africa's vibrancy through portraits of the top artists shaping its contemporary urban scene. Its "objective is to portray a generation which endeavors to showcase the African urban universe and its blossoming art production and exchanges", Diop explains.
Fashion designers Art Comes First photographed in the Studio of Vanities (2014) by Omar Viktor Diop. The series aims to capture Africa's vibrancy through portraits of the top artists shaping its contemporary urban scene. Its "objective is to portray a generation which endeavors to showcase the African urban universe and its blossoming art production and exchanges", Diop explains.
Omar Victor Diop
<br />Aida Muluneh, The Morning Bride (2016). The image is part of the Ethiopian's The World is 9 series looking at life, love, history, and whether we can live in this world with full contentment. "I am not seeking answers but asking provocative questions about the life that we live -- as people, as nations, as beings," she says.

Aida Muluneh, The Morning Bride (2016). The image is part of the Ethiopian's The World is 9 series looking at life, love, history, and whether we can live in this world with full contentment. "I am not seeking answers but asking provocative questions about the life that we live -- as people, as nations, as beings," she says.
Aida Muluneh/David Krut
Radio star (1986) by John Liebenberg. Born in South Africa, Liebenberg's collection of photographs documenting the Namibian War of Independence is widely used by historians and researchers.
Radio star (1986) by John Liebenberg. Born in South Africa, Liebenberg's collection of photographs documenting the Namibian War of Independence is widely used by historians and researchers.
john liebenberg
A L'Horizon de Mes Jours Troubles, 2015, by Joël Andrianomearisoa. The Madagascan born photographer works in various mediums, from video to performance and sculpture -- the only unifying theme being his use of black as a color. "I need to be surprised by images. The situation has to be completely staggered. I do not consider myself as a photographer; I am someone who makes images", he says.
A L'Horizon de Mes Jours Troubles, 2015, by Joël Andrianomearisoa. The Madagascan born photographer works in various mediums, from video to performance and sculpture -- the only unifying theme being his use of black as a color. "I need to be surprised by images. The situation has to be completely staggered. I do not consider myself as a photographer; I am someone who makes images", he says.
Joël Andrianomearisoa
Edson Chagas photographs himself with plastic bags covering his head. The images serve as a pointer to capitalism in Angola.
Edson Chagas photographs himself with plastic bags covering his head. The images serve as a pointer to capitalism in Angola.
Edson Chagas/APALAZZOGALLERY
Secession (2015) by Jim Chuchu. The Kenyan photographer envisions future and pre-colonial religious practices in Africa.
Secession (2015) by Jim Chuchu. The Kenyan photographer envisions future and pre-colonial religious practices in Africa.
Mariane Ibrahim Gallery
Democracy - the main ingredient is derision (2016) by Lawrence Lemaoana. The continuing discontent with politics in South Africa is directly reflected in Johannesburg born Lemaoana's works. A former professional rugby star, "the works are a commentary on contemporary South African politics", he explains, adding it is "the failed vision on what democracy is to different denominations of our society".'
Democracy - the main ingredient is derision (2016) by Lawrence Lemaoana. The continuing discontent with politics in South Africa is directly reflected in Johannesburg born Lemaoana's works. A former professional rugby star, "the works are a commentary on contemporary South African politics", he explains, adding it is "the failed vision on what democracy is to different denominations of our society".'
Lawrence Lemaoana/AFRONOVA Gallery
Elégance by JP Mika (2015). Mika sometimes puts himself in his works through self portraits or adding himself in group composition - most of the time dressed as a "sapeur" (a group of well-dressed men in Congo making cultural statements through their style).'
Elégance by JP Mika (2015). Mika sometimes puts himself in his works through self portraits or adding himself in group composition - most of the time dressed as a "sapeur" (a group of well-dressed men in Congo making cultural statements through their style).'
1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair/MAGNIN-A
Stunning African art on show in New York

Story highlights

Last year's first U.S. edition of 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair saw around 6,000 visitors and numbers are set to grow.

Omar Victor Diop is a Senegalese photographer showcasing images of Africa's urban creatives.

Edson Chagas documents city life in Luanda, Angola.

CNN  — 

From digital LEDs that transport viewers into a cosmic world of Afrofuturism to ghostly figures derived from garbage bags, contemporary African art has never been dull.

A rising generation of local collectors, global enthusiasts, and diasporans are making sure the region’s artists are hot property.

Amid this growing demand, 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair, opened for its second edition at New York’s Pioneer Works. Initially launched at London’s Somerset House in 2013, last year’s first U.S. edition of the fair saw around 6,000 visitors.

Amongst the 60 artists exhibiting, we’ve picked a few of the artists highlighting the continent’s urban scene.

Omar Victor Diop’s images are distinguishable for their vivid color. Often focusing on portraiture the Senegalese photographer, started out in corporate communications before deciding to pursue photography in 2012. His ongoing series “The Studio of Vanities” wants to showcase the young creatives shaping Africa’s lifestyle, fashion, art and music industry. “These are the fresh faces of the continent’s urban culture.”, he writes on his website. “They are black, Arabs, Caucasian, Asian, it doesn’t matter. They are creative and ambitious, but most importantly, they dedicate their everyday lives to making their dreams a reality”.

In the series - young entrepreneurs stand against patterned backdrops - which often draw on the individual’s cultural history or background. The objective is to portray “a generation which endeavor to showcase the African urban universe and its blossoming art production and exchanges,” he writes, adding the overall intent “is to go beyond the strictly aesthetic depiction of a beautiful youth.”

Afrofuturism - a science fiction Africa

The shift towards the urban in African cinema has also been slowly gaining pace, particularly within Afrofuturism, a concept that reimagines science and the future in an African context. Filmmaker and photographer Jim Chuchu is a Kenyan whose short film debuted as part of “African Metropolis” during 2013’s Durban International Film Festival. The short film “Stories of Our Lives”, looked at Kenya’s LGBTIQ community.

At the 1:54 fair, the artist, is exhibiting his latest series, “Pagans”, which reconstructs the past and future of forgotten African deities. The idea is to take viewers on a journey spanning “distant African pasts and potential Afro futures”.

Angolan artist Edson Chagas’ photographs of himself covered with carrier bags may seem bizarre and unusual to most, but there is a serious political point he is trying to investigate, says the artist. In the series “Oikonomo”, the various plastic bags serve as a symbol for tracing capitalism in Angola. The mass produced bags leave behind a trace of city life and consumerism in Angola’s capital Luanda.

Consumerism was also the starting point for Congolese painter J.P Mika. Hailing from Democratic Republic of Congo’s densely populated capital Kinshasa, Mika began using his talents at the age of 13, painting the informal advertising boards well known around the continent to earn money. His images usually depict young Congolese men and women sporting the country’s latest fashion trends.