Chelsea Lates: happy hour with the spoils of an art fair. Drinks, perks, and all the good art. Inspired by New York’s storied Thursday evening gallery tradition—after hours, relaxed and convivial, in the company of collectors, curators, exhibitors, and friends of the fair.
Starts at 4 PM on 14 May.
🎟 Book your tickets via the link in bio (and bring your friends).
*Chelsea Lates tickets include one free drink, access to another Public Day of your choice, and a tote bag, while supplies last.
1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair is thrilled to announce the return of 1-54 New York, from 13-17 May 2025!
The 2026 edition will take place at the Starrett-Lehigh Building in Chelsea, positioning the fair in the heart of one of New York’s most vibrant cultural districts. Returning during Art Week New York, 1-54 offers a dynamic platform to discover contemporary art from Africa and its diasporas. Within the energy of the city’s wider art world, we will be bringing together artists, galleries and audiences.
We look forward to welcoming you to this exciting chapter of 1-54 New York in the heart of Chelsea. Stay tuned for more details!
VIP & Press preview:
Wednesday 13 May 2026, 11 am – 7 pm
Thursday 14 May 2026, 11 am – 4 pm
Public opening:
Thursday 14 May 2026, 4 pm – 8 pm
Friday 15 May 2026, 11 am – 7 pm
Saturday 16 May 2026, 11 am – 7 pm
Sunday 17 May 2026, 11 am – 5 pm
🎟️ Ticket will soon be available
🗓️ 13-17 May 2026
📍 Starrett-Lehigh Building, 600 W. 27th St, NYC
Want a glimpse into Morocco 🇲🇦? In the heart of New York, at 1-54, experience the warmth, craftsmanship, and layered beauty of a traditional Moroccan living room, brought to life through a collaboration with the Moroccan National Tourist Office (ONMT).
Let it open onto the colours, textures, and rhythms of Morocco itself — an invitation to explore and travel further. From New York to Morocco, the conversation continues.
And if you’re already dreaming ahead… 1-54 Marrakech 2027 is waiting.
🎥 1-54 Presents: Brazil Beyond Brazil curated by Igor Simões
1-54 Presents: Brazil Beyond Brazil brings together artists whose practices reflect the depth, complexity, and global resonance of Afro-Brazilian artistic production today. Expanding beyond geographic borders, the presentation explores memory, identity, spirituality, and resistance through works that move across generations, materials, and visual languages.
Presented as part of 1-54 New York 2026, Brazil Beyond Brazil highlights the ongoing dialogues between Africa, Brazil, and the wider diaspora through contemporary artistic practices.
#154ArtFair #ArtistSpotlight #ContemporaryAfricanArt #154newyork2026
✨ 1-54 NYC: Day 2 Recap — VIP and Press Preview & Chelsea Lates ✨
Yesterday brought together the VIP and press preview and the first edition of Chelsea Lates. From discoveries across the fair to conversations between collectors, curators, exhibitors, and friends, Day 2 ended with full energy.
With the support of our culinary, media, and beverage partners, the fair extended into shared moments.
🎟 If you haven’t purchased your tickets for the upcoming days, head to the 1-54 website or the link in bio.
📅 Public Days:
Friday 15 May 2026, 11 am – 7 pm
Saturday 16 May 2026, 11 am – 7 pm
Sunday 17 May 2026, 11 am – 5 pm
📍 Starrett-Lehigh Building, 600 W. 27th St, Manhattan, New York
#154artfair #154newyork2026
As New York Art Week returns, so does 𝘖𝘱𝘦𝘯 𝘋𝘰𝘰𝘳𝘴, this time for the final event in the series. A collaboration between @aodmagazine member community and @goodblackart
For our last event aimed at pulling back the curtain on spaces within the art ecosystem, after spending time at galleries and residencies, we stepped inside the world of the art fair. On VIP day, with wines by @triennes and water by @vossworld in hand, we guided AOD members, many attending an art fair for the first time, through 1-54
Contemporary African Art Fair @154artfair , the world's only art fair dedicated to contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora.
We explored galleries from 12 countries, from Lagos to London to São Paulo and Brooklyn, and saw firsthand the deep bonds between galleries and the artists they champion. This year's edition featured a groundbreaking focus on Afro-Brazilian art through the curated section Brazil Beyond Brazil, expanding the fair's exploration of diasporic narratives across the Atlantic for the first time.
It was another evening of access, context, and connection. Exactly what 𝘖𝘱𝘦𝘯 𝘋𝘰𝘰𝘳𝘴 was built to create.
1-54 New York is on view at the Starrett-Lehigh Building through this Sunday, May 17. Get your tickets at the link in bio. Videography @bbattlecuts
🎥 Artist spotlight Aaron Kudi represented by @adegbola.art
Through layered compositions and striking use of colour, Aaron Kudi explores themes of identity, spirituality, and human connection. Drawing from personal memory and everyday life, his paintings blur the line between figuration and abstraction, creating spaces that feel both intimate and symbolic.
Presented at 1-54 New York 2026, Kudi’s work invites viewers into carefully constructed worlds shaped by emotion, texture, and storytelling.
Photo credit: @_zackparis
✨ 1-54 NYC: A look back at the VIP and Press Preview Day 1✨
Yesterday marked the opening of the fair’s 12th edition, welcoming VIP guests and members of the press for a first look at this year’s presentations, special projects, and installations.
Take a look back at moments from the opening day as the fair continues through the week.
🎟 If you haven’t purchased your tickets for the upcoming dates, head to the 1-54 website or the link in bio.
🗓️ VIP & Press Preview: Thursday 14 May 2026, 11 am – 4 pm
📅 Chelsea Lates: Thursday 14 May 2026, 4 pm – 8 pm
📅 Public Days: Friday 15 May 2026, 11 am – 7 pm Saturday 16 May 2026, 11 am – 7 pm Sunday 17 May 2026, 11 am – 5 pm
📍 Starrett-Lehigh Building, 600 W. 27th St, Manhattan, New York
Photo credit: Zack Paris
#154artfair #154newyork2026
Galleries on our radar at 1-54 New York.
Dedicated to contemporary African art and the diaspora, 1-54 brings together galleries from across the globe each year during NYC art week. The fair has become known for presentations that feel deeply rooted in culture, storytelling, and global perspectives, and these are a few galleries we’ll be following throughout the week.
📍 1-54 New York
Starrett-Lehigh Building
Follow @joincohart for more from the fair.
#joincohart
As 1-54 New York 2026 opens its doors, this year’s edition welcomes a new group of galleries joining the fair for the first time.
Bringing perspectives from across Africa and the diaspora, these new exhibitors expand the conversations shaping the fair’s 12th edition — from emerging practices to established voices redefining contemporary art today.
Discover the galleries debuting at 1-54 New York.
🎟 Open through 17 May 2026
📍 Starrett-Lehigh Building, New York
#154artfair #154newyork2026
🎥 Dianne Smith in residence at Santa Fe Art Institute (SFAi)
Selected by Afreximbank as part of the 1-54 x Afreximbank Residency Support initiative.
At Dianne Smith’s studio, woven forms, layered textures, and sculptural surfaces come together through a practice rooted in memory, material, and abstraction.
Her work moves between painting, textile, and installation, creating compositions that feel both deeply personal and expansive.
The residency is designed to support research and experimentation without commercial pressure.
The program is supported by Afreximbank through the Afreximbank Art Program in collaboration with 1-54.
@afreximbankofficial@iamdiannesmithart@santafeartinstitute
Image credit: @_zackparis
#154ArtFair #ArtistSpotlight #ContemporaryAfricanArt
#154newyork2026
Whether you’re joining for the VIP preview, Chelsea Lates, or the public days, here’s everything you need to know before visiting 1-54 New York 2026, taking place from 13–17 May 2026 — from opening hours to transportation, parking, and access to the fair at the Starrett-Lehigh Building.
🎟 If you haven’t purchased your tickets yet, head to 1-54.com or the link in bio.
We look forward to welcoming you!
