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1897 Gallery Debuts "Freedom in Multitudes" in London, A Cross-Cultural Dialogue on Black Identity

London's art scene is set to welcome a powerful new voice with the launch of the 1897 Gallery and its inaugural nomadic exhibition, "Freedom in Multitudes." Opening on October 5, 2024, the exhibition is anticipated to challenge conventional representations of Black identity through a diverse array of artistic expressions.


Afeez Okakoya, Blaze of Passion, 2024 Charcoal and acrylic on canvas 84 x 60 in, Image Courtesy of the 1897 Gallery
Afeez Okakoya, Blaze of Passion, 2024 Charcoal and acrylic on canvas 84 x 60 in, Image Courtesy of the 1897 Gallery

Founded by curator and creative consultant Sosa Omorogbe, the 1897 Gallery aims to amplify Black and African art through collaboration and meaningful discourse. The gallery's nomadic format seeks to connect international audiences with artists from Africa and its diaspora, fostering a global community around contemporary Black art.


"Freedom in Multitudes" brings together nine artists from Japan, Nigeria, England, and the United States, whose works collectively redefine self-perception and identity. The exhibition draws inspiration from W.E.B. Du Bois's theory of double consciousness, but pushes beyond it to explore a "single-consciousness" where self-image is formed from within rather than through external perceptions.


Visitors can expect a rich representation of artistic mediums, including works on paper, sculptures, installations, paintings, and photography by the exhibiting artists: Afeez Okakoya, Amanda Shingirai, Anne Adams, Nola Ayoola, Ousmane Bâ, Rachel Seidu, Roisin Jones, Sola Olulode, and Uthman Wahaab.


Anne Adams, presenting collage works for the first time, examines her identity as a fusion of past, present, and future, delving into themes of hybridity within post-colonial and post-feminist frameworks.


Anne Adams, Between Two Worlds, Wonder Awaits, Image Courtesy of the 1897 Gallery
Anne Adams, Between Two Worlds, Wonder Awaits, Image Courtesy of the 1897 Gallery


Nola Ayoola's pieces pay homage to traditional African craftsmanship, using organza and cotton to create multidimensional works that represent the interwoven threads of life experiences. Her approach brings a unique perspective to contemporary fine art.


Afeez Onakoya and Ousmane Bâ both push the boundaries of traditional figuration in their explorations of identity. Bâ, drawing from his Fulani Senegalese-Guinean background and his life in Japan, employs the Nihonga technique to create figures that appear as sculptures in motion against washi paper collages. Onakoya, on the other hand, uses charcoal to craft dynamic compositions of contorted bodies, creating visual poems that exist in liminal spaces.


Ousmane Bâ; Transe, 2024 Japanese mineral pigment on washi paper on wood panels 70 x 100 cm, Image Courtesy of the 1897 Gallery
Ousmane Bâ; Transe, 2024 Japanese mineral pigment on washi paper on wood panels 70 x 100 cm, Image Courtesy of the 1897 Gallery


"Freedom in Multitudes" will be on view at 32 Connaught Street in London from October 5 to October 14, 2024. The opening reception is scheduled for October 5, from 5 to 8 p.m. Additional programming includes artist workshops, panel discussions, curator-led tours, and artist talks, providing multiple entry points for audience engagement.


This exhibition marks the beginning of a series of shows planned by the 1897 Gallery for 2025, signalling a significant new platform for the exploration and celebration of contemporary Black and African art in London and beyond.



Installation Image of Freedom in Multitudes |  Image Courtesy of the 1897 Gallery
Installation Image of Freedom in Multitudes | Image Courtesy of the 1897 Gallery


Exhibition Details:


Address:

32 Connaught Street, Connaught Village,

London W2 2AF

United Kingdom


Opening Reception:

Saturday 5 October, 5 – 8 p.m.


Opening Hours:

Monday to Sunday | 11 – 6 p.m.


Additional Program:

  • Sunday 6 October

Artist workshop with Nola Ayoola | 1 – 4 p.m.

Panel talk with three Black women gallerists moderated by 1897 founder Sosa Omorogbe | 5 – 7 p.m.


  • Saturday 12 October

Curator-led tours | 2 – 3:30 p.m.


  • Sunday 13 October

Curator-led tours | 2 – 3:30 p.m.

Artist talk with Uthman Wahaab, Sola Olulode, and Roisin Jone | 4 – 6 p.m.


About 1897:


1897 is a creative agency that focuses on amplifying Black and African Art through collaboration and meaningful discourse. Our mission is to act as a global connector, building an international community dedicated to celebrating and advancing Black and African art across the diaspora. With "collaboration" at the epicenter of our approach, we are committed to curating diverse programmes in alliance with art professionals and practitioners around the world. Our programmes will showcase works by artists across all mediums and experience levels. By placing a varied cohort of artists in conversation with each other, we shall explore the breadth and complexity of the Black and African experience. Through immersive, multi-sensory experiences, 1897 engages with the myriad possibilities of seeing and experiencing art.1897 seeks to explore common threads of heritage, identity, memory, and consciousness. The agency operates across 2 departments: The 1897 Gallery and the 1897 Advisory.


The 1897 Gallery is a contemporary gallery specializing in Black and African art. The Gallery adopts a nomadic exhibition format aimed at connecting international audiences with artists throughout Africa and its diaspora, thus fostering global community-building. The 1897 Gallery bridges the gap between global emerging artists and masters of Contemporary and Modern Art, exploring the Black and African experience across distance and time.


The 1897 Advisory offers bespoke advisory services to our clients, with an eye towards building valuable collections. We advise on art of all media from every sector of the art market-from new and emerging to established and blue-chip artists.



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1897 Gallery Debuts "Freedom in Multitudes" in London, A Cross-Cultural Dialogue on Black Identity

October 3, 2024

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