In Focus: Kea Boccomino’s Selection for 1-54 London
Ahead of 1-54’s London edition, Basel-based curator Keabetswe Kekana Boccomino shares her selection of contemporary African art galleries and artists to look out for. 1-54 has long been a destination for new perspectives, a spirit also central to VOLTA, where some of these voices have been part of past editions.
Gillian Jason Gallery
Presenting works by Ofunne Azinge, Milan Young, and Cinthia Sifa Mulunga, the gallery explores themes of intergenerational memory, belonging, and the radical self. Through collage and abstract expressionism, these practices open up layered encounters with cultural consciousness, continuing the gallery’s dedication to championing female artistic perspectives.
Ofunne Azinge, For the love we share (2022) Acrylic Paint, Image transfer and pencil on wood. Image by ArtxLagos.
TERN Gallery
Founded by Amanda Coulson, former VOLTA Director, TERN Gallery returns with a much-anticipated presentation of Leasho Johnson, Blue Curry, and Anina Major. With a focus on artists from the Bahamas and the Caribbean, the selection reclaims African diasporic positioning within global art. From painting to sculptural installations, the works investigate history, language, and culture through intersectional lenses.
Anina Major, Born in 1981 in Nassau, The Bahamas. Sunburst (2016), ceramic and mixed media, dimensions variable
Filafriques Gallery
Presenting works by Reggie Khumalo and Gavin Goodman, Filafriques highlights portraiture that extends beyond representation into visual storytelling. Drawing on symbolic African elements, both artists reflect on heritage as lived experience, continuously reimagined across the continent and its diaspora.
Gavin Goodman, Born in 1979 in Cape Town, South Africa. Vela #02 Mixed media with hand-painted finish on canvas
Affinity Gallery
Showcasing Samuel Nnorom and Buqaqawuli Nobakada, Affinity foregrounds new approaches to materiality through textile, painting, and sculptural forms. Their practices navigate the tensions between tradition and modernity, transforming everyday objects and subjects into compositions that probe belonging and cultural identity.
Buqaqawuli Nobakada, Ballgowns are casual wear (2025) Acrylic paint on hand-prepared lace paper, 120 x 148 cm
Mentioned Artists
Ofunne Azinge (1997, Delta State, NIG)
Milan Young (1997, USA)
Cinthia Sifa Mulunga (1997, Lubumbashi, DRC)
Leasho Johnson (1984, Montego Bay, JAM)
Blue Curry (1974, Nassau, BS)
Anina Major (1981, Nassau, BS)
Gavin Goodman (1979, Cape Town, ZA)
Reggie Khumalo (1987, Johannesburg, ZA)
Samuel Nnorom (1990, Isiukwuato, Abia State, NIG)
Buqaqawuli Nobakada (2000, Cumakala, ZA)
About the Curator
Keabetswe Kekana Boccomino is a Basel-based curator and intercultural practitioner, and founder of @afrinovart. Her work focuses on building platforms that bridge African and diasporic creative perspectives through dialogue, collaboration, and experimental exhibition formats.