Rakeb Sile and Mesai Haileleul, co-founders of Addis Fine Art, which focuses on Modern and contemporary Ethiopian artists, have set up a gallery in London’s Cromwell Place hub
Courtesy of Bandele Zuberi and Addis Fine Art
The fates and fortunes of African artists have, until recently, been largely shaped by outsider interests. But now, as the market for these artists grows apace, African galleries are taking a firmer hand in their fortunes by expanding to the West.
The catch-all term “African art”—one created by Western auction houses and dealers—has proven to be a brilliant marketing tactic. A critical and commercial domino effect has been spurred by events such as the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair and seminal exhibitions like