Galerie Revel is thrilled to announce its very first participation at 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair New York with “Soil, bodies and fruits”, a collective exhibition bringing together the work of emerging and up-and-coming artists from the Global South. Set in the heart of Manhattan from May 1st to May 4th, the exhibition will unveil exclusive pieces from artists, many of whom have never been exhibited in the United States before.
Highlighted by its multidisciplinary exhibition “Soil, Bodies, and Fruits”, Galerie Revel's presence at 1-54 New York represents a dual celebration, marking both the gallery's inaugural exhibition in the United States and its premiere engagement with one of the most prestigious fairs dedicated to the promotion of contemporary art from Africa and the global diaspora. The gallery is delighted to be one of eight new galleries selected for this 10th edition, enriching the fair's selection of over 70 artists with the unique work of Stephen Price (Italy/Ghana), Xanthe Somers (Zimbabwe) and Kwaku Osei Owusu Achim (Ghana). These four artists offer unprecedented iconographic explorations and alternative narratives, presenting works where references to natural elements serve as the entry point for the articulation of their corpus.
Drawing upon both his personal journey and online photographic sources, emerging Italian-born artist of Ghanaian origin Stephen Price explores the nuanced terrain of Black memories. Employing charcoal and vibrant, glossy paint, Price depicts enigmatic space-times in which faceless Black figures seem to float. Like half-presences in a surreal world, his silhouettes seem detached from reality, yet bear an awareness of their potent, almost haunting impact on the observer's gaze. As if immersed in a liminal nature, Price’s figures evoke the nostalgic aura of old photographs discovered in old cardboard boxes: weathered by time yet imbued with captivating allure. Playing with the emotional resonance of ocean blues and rich purples, the artist, who holds a BA in Fine Art Painting and Drawing from the University of Northampton, infuses his canvases with a profound sense of nostalgia, reflecting on memory's often bittersweet nature. The interplay between personal recollections and the broader tapestry of shared Black history becomes a central theme, inviting viewers to ponder the enduring imprint of memory on our collective consciousness.
Engaging vivid colors and challenging aesthetic expectations, Xanthe Somers blithely explores the limits of ceramics. Born in Zimbabwe, and holding a degree in Postcolonial Culture and Global Policy from the University of Cape Town, Somers is attuned to the colonial context that has marked her homeland. Drawing from her personal memories, such as her particularly eye-opening arrival in London at the age of 18, the artist delves into Zimbabwe’s history to address (post)colonial tensions and reminiscences. Drawing inspiration from age-old Zimbabwean traditions, Somers seamlessly integrates elements such as weaving, wax fabric, and granite stone into her hand-built ceramic sculptures. These materials, juxtaposed with modern mediums and social commentary, serve as a poignant reflection on the complex interplay between past and present. In her large-scale pieces, natural elements emerge as powerful metaphors, symbolizing the enduring impact of British culture on Zimbabwean society. Flowers, European fruits, and seeds serve as poignant reminders of a colonial legacy that continues to shape contemporary aesthetics.
Born in 1991, Kwaku Osei Owusu Achim is a visual artist based in Accra. His paintings embody the ethereal essence of a dream: figures, at times surrealistically double-headed, seem to float in a misty atmosphere, all interconnected by mind and body. Infused with a spiritual dimension and Akan traditions, Achim’s paintings serve as repositories of reflections on sign language and the invisible ties that bind people together. At the heart of these reflections lies a significant experience: while working as a medical assistant after graduating in Medical Data from Yeshua Institute of Technology, he offered art classes to children with autism. It marked an eye-opening moment for the artist, whose corpus has since been committed to amplifying marginalized voices. Achim's work has recently been featured in several exhibitions in Ghana, the UK, and France and has enriched numerous private collections. In 2021, he was a visiting fellow at the Noldor Residency in Accra.
