Ring Lights in the Gallery: Is the Art World Having Its Own US Open Moment?
A Pavillon 54 perspective Did you catch what happened at the US Open last month? During Naomi Osaka’s first-round match, play was actually paused mid-point because a group of influencers in a suite were so loud and so lit up with ring lights that the chair umpire had to stop and ask them to sit […]
The 2026 Autumn Art Season Guide: Key Fairs, Emerging Trends, and What Collectors Should Watch
Autumn is here, and the art world is about to get busy. Between mid-October and December, art fairs in London, Paris, and Lagos mark the most intense, vibrant stretch of the year, serving as both a cultural festival and a market barometer. For collectors and enthusiasts of modern and contemporary African and diaspora art, it’s […]
So You’ve Bought Some Art. Now What?
You did it. You found a piece that stopped you in your tracks, you did your homework, and now it’s hanging on your wall. Maybe it’s your first piece. Maybe it’s your fifth. And now there’s a new, slightly less exciting question sitting behind the exciting one: how do you actually look after this thing, […]
Investing in African Art, Part 3 – The African Art Market Plays by Different Rules
The checklist from our last piece works beautifully – until you try to apply it to a Lagos-based painter with no auction record, represented by a gallery that opened eighteen months ago. Suddenly the “just look it up” advice falls apart. That’s not a reason to avoid African art. It’s a reason to understand why […]
Investing in African Art, Part 2 – How Collectors Actually Value a Living Artist
There’s a certain kind of collector whose entire net worth is tied up in the art on their walls. Ask them how they decide what to buy, and you’ll notice something: they almost never mention whether they think a piece is pretty. They don’t buy what’s trending. Before they commit to anything, they run the […]
Investing in African Art, Part 1 – Why Art Is a Terrible Investment (Until It Isn’t)
Amoako Boafo, The Lemon Bathing Suit, 2019. Oil on unstretched canvas. Sold at Phillips London, February 2020, for £675,000 ($881,000). Image courtesy the artist and Phillips. In 2020, a painting by a then little-known Ghanaian artist named Amoako Boafo sold at its auction debut in London for about $880,000, roughly thirteen times what the auction […]
Beyond the Scoreboard: Why Africa’s World Cup Legacy Transcends the Final Stages
As the 2026 World Cup heads into its final, the intensity on the pitch is palpable. While the tournament brackets may no longer feature African teams in these closing rounds, looking strictly at the scoreboard misses the grander narrative. Long before the semi-finals were decided, a completely different victory had already been claimed. It wasn’t […]
The Internet Thought Jay-Z Was Channeling Basquiat. The Truth Was More Powerful.
For years, the internet has been obsessed with Jay-Z’s hair. His wicks became a recurring topic of conversation, generating everything from jokes and memes to think pieces about wealth, status, and Black identity. Some saw them as a rejection of corporate respectability. Others viewed them as an homage to Jean-Michel Basquiat, the artist Jay-Z has […]
Beyond the Aesthetic: From Cubism to Painted by Esther and Patrick Ta, What Can We Learn About The Battle Between African Creative Influence and Market Monetization
A visual representation of contemporary African portraiture and digital creative expression. Look around the global cultural landscape today, and one thing is undeniable: African and Diaspora creativity is the world’s ultimate engine. From avant-garde textiles gracing European runways to the bold visual languages dominating international art galleries, Black culture dictates the global mood board. But […]
Capital Art: Mastering African Art Collection Management
If you’ve been following our exploration of art collection management, you know that being the guardian of art is no ordinary task. In a previous article, we delved deep into the nuances of art collection management, shedding light on its pivotal role in safeguarding cultural heritage and nurturing artistic legacies for generations to come. Now, […]