• 1-54 New York has announced its eleventh edition, celebrating ten years in the city and expanding its global presence.
• Presented at The Halo, 28 Liberty Street, in Manhattan’s financial district, the fair will showcase work by over 70 artists from 17 countries across five continents.
• The exhibition will feature around 30 exhibitors and 18 galleries showing in New York for the first time, including notable new participants like TERN Gallery from the Bahamas and Kub’Art Gallery from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

A decade of presence in New York has cemented 1-54’s reputation as a leading platform for contemporary African and diasporic art, and this upcoming edition is poised to reaffirm its position at the forefront of the global art world. With its unique blend of commercial and cultural significance, 1-54 has become a cornerstone of New York’s cultural calendar, drawing in a diverse audience of collectors, curators, museum professionals, and the general public. The fair’s diverse exhibitor list will reflect its global scope, with galleries based in cities such as Tokyo, Lagos, Johannesburg, Geneva, Paris, and across the United States. The 2025 edition will see the inclusion of eight contemporary artists from the Caribbean, highlighting the fair’s commitment to exploring the region’s vibrant and diverse artistic landscape.

A Caribbean Spotlight: Expanding the Fair’s Reach

• The 2025 Caribbean Spotlight will be presented as part of the 1-54 Presents programme, following the successful launch of Sparkling Islands, Another Postcard of the Caribbean in 2023.
• Curated by ATLANTIC ARTHOUSE, a collective based in the Caribbean Mid-Atlantic, the presentation will bring together eight contemporary artists whose work explores themes of migration, memory, and cultural hybridity.
• The inclusion of this element in the fair’s programme will further underscore its commitment to creating a more inclusive and diverse platform for artists from across the region and its diaspora.

The 2025 edition will also see the return of large-scale presentations and artist-led projects, which will add further depth to the exhibition. Gallery 1957 will present a powerful work by Yaw Owusu, composed entirely of US pennies, reimagining the American flag and prompting reflection on liberty, economy, and national identity. Almine Rech will showcase FIGURES OF MIRACLE, a raffia-based installation by Joël Andrianomearisoa that explores memory, labour, and tradition through material gesture and cultural symbolism. Art Comes First will contribute Textile Language, a project tracing the legacy of African cotton and weaving traditions as sites of identity and resistance. FORGOTTEN LANDS will create the Afro-Caribbean Resource Library, a curated literary installation designed to encourage deeper engagement with Caribbean thought, history, and creativity.

David Krut Projects: A Legacy of Cultural Exchange

• The 2025 edition will pay tribute to the long-standing legacy of David Krut Projects, which has introduced South African artists to New York audiences for over 25 years.
• Kalashnikovv Gallery will contribute a presentation of artists who have worked in the same Johannesburg workshop as William Kentridge, showcasing both established and emerging voices from the region.
• This honour will reinforce 1-54’s commitment to facilitating cross-cultural exchange and dialogue, and highlighting the significant contributions of African artists to the global art landscape.

The 2025 edition of 1-54 New York will be a powerful celebration of contemporary African and diasporic art, marking an important milestone in the fair’s ten-year journey in the city. With its diverse exhibitor list, the inclusion of the Caribbean Spotlight, and its continued commitment to cultural exchange and dialogue, the fair will solidify its position as a leading platform for the global art world.

Caribbean Perspectives: A Key Component of 1-54’s Programme

In the 2025 edition, 1-54 will build on the success of Sparkling Islands, Another Postcard of the Caribbean, launched in 2023. The new Caribbean Spotlight will continue the fair’s engagement with the region, offering a unique and important expansion of the fair’s mission and programming. Caribbean artists will have the opportunity to engage with a diverse audience, and to showcase their work alongside established and emerging artists from across the globe. The inclusion of the Caribbean Spotlight will serve as a tribute to Caryl Ivrisse Crochemar, the late curator of Sparkling Islands, and will further highlight the importance of Caribbean perspectives in the global art world.

Afro-Caribbean Resource Library: FORGOTTEN LANDS’ Contribution

• FORGOTTEN LANDS will present the Afro-Caribbean Resource Library in the fair’s lounge, featuring a curated collection of publications spanning poetry, fiction, political discourse, and art criticism.
• The project aims to encourage deeper engagement with the literary and theoretical frameworks that shape Caribbean creative practices today.
• This contribution will further enrich the fair’s programme, highlighting the importance of Caribbean thought, history, and creativity in the global art landscape.

A Global Art Scene: Where Africa Meets the Caribbean

The 2025 edition of 1-54 New York will continue to serve as a site of exchange, research, and cultural connection, reinforcing the fair’s position as a leading platform for contemporary African and diasporic art. The inclusion of Caribbean perspectives in the fair’s programming will offer a timely and important expansion of the fair’s mission, setting the stage for deeper, more layered conversations around identity, migration, resistance, and representation within the global art world. The fair will remain committed to championing contemporary African art in all its forms, and creating meaningful connections across continents, generations, and perspectives.