Making her international fair debut at the 2022 edition of FNB Art Joburg, Wunika Mukan, the founding director of Nigeria-based Wunika Mukan Gallery described it as a historical moment. “It was the best learning experience myself and my team could’ve asked for,” she said. “A globally renowned fair within Africa, it also gave us a sense of pride in seeing how far the industry had grown since the days I started out.”For the 2023 edition, featured gallery LAB exhibitors include 16/16, CHURCH, Ebony Curated, Galerie Annie Kadji, Guns & Rain, Modzi Arts, Ora Loapi, ODA Art, Reservoir Projects, Untitled, VILLAGE UNHU and Wunika Mukan Gallery. This week we introduce you to 16/16, CHURCH, Ebony Curated, Galerie Annie Kadji, Guns & Rain and Modzi Arts.

16/16

16/16 is a hotel, private gathering space and creative incubator for “Friends of 16” located in a nondescript building in the heart of Victoria Island, Lagos. Throughout our 7+ year history, we have invited our many friends to activate the space as a centre for information exchange and learning by running programs that fit within and intersect with, the practices of other Friends. This has allowed us to present a new prototype that provides shelter while also orienting our community and ourselves to the greater perspectives that our city offers.

Director: Tushar Hathiramani

CHURCH

CHURCH is an unconventional art space of diminutive proportions situated in the Cape Town CBD. Based in a Heritage Building with its interior reimagined, it forms part of the vibrant Church Street inner-city Art node.CHURCH is focused on experimentation, innovation and exploration within the Arts. It provides a platform for art interventions with emphasis on process and outcomes.

Director: Hoosein Mahomed

EBONY/CURATED

Established in 2007, EBONY/CURATED is a leading South African Gallery based in Cape Town and Franschhoek. The gallery has built a solid reputation for unlocking exciting talent from the continent and the greater African Diaspora. It’s well established public programme extends across 3 spaces highlighting both contemporary and notable modern artworks. EBONY/CURATED regularly participates in local and international art fairs and gallery artists are included in recognised public and private collections.

Directors: Marc Stanes, Dewald Prinsloo, Leonard de Villiers

Galerie Annie Kadji

Galerie Annie Kadji, which launched in 2004, now stands today as a tribute and celebration to its founder Annie Kadji. Today the AKA gallery’s goal is to shine a light on the most exciting, talented and culturally relevant artists of our time, starting within the African continent. Sten and the AKA team work directly with a curated roster of emerging, mid-career and established artists, exhibiting and championing their work across multiple platforms and markets.

Director: Sten Kadji

Guns & Rain

Guns & Rain is a Johannesburg-based gallery with a local and international programme of exhibitions, art fairs and collaborations.The gallery was established in 2014 as an online-only initiative, with the intention of addressing the under-representation of African art globally. Today, the gallery works with over 20 emerging artists from six African countries.

Director: Dr Julie Taylor

Modzi Arts

Modzi Arts works with artists, for a period of three months to a year, while they are in the process of experiment building towards exhibition within Lusaka. We support artists through a process of research and concept development with a huge focus on Zambian art history and culture.

Director: Taonga Julia Kaunda-Kaseka