Page 27 - AC-2-1

Arts & Communication Contemporary art from the Global South

established a residency program to welcome international transactions through art fairs. Perrotin’s global presence
artists and arts professionals to Ghana, allowing for a and an impressive roster of artists have contributed to its
deeper engagement with the country’s rich contemporary reputation. Perrotin’s commitment to gender diversity in
art scene. In 2021, this gallery launched the Yaa Asantewaa their artist representation is also noteworthy in an industry
Art Prize, the first-ever dedicated art prize for women historically dominated by male artists. Overall, Perrotin’s
artists living and working in Africa. Gallery 1957 is now strategy of global expansion and emphasis on gender
participating in major art fairs, including Art Dubai, Cape diversity has helped position the gallery as a major player
Town Art Fair, Art Genève, 1-54, Art and Lagos, and Art in the contemporary art world.
Paris. It serves as an excellent example of an organization The Stephen Friedman Gallery, located in London, is
that is pushing the boundaries of the art world and renowned for promoting emerging artists hailing from
demonstrating how African galleries are now influencing the Global South, with a particular emphasis on South
the market. It is interesting to note that “Africa, which until American artists. The gallery’s website explicitly highlights
recently was the only continent by and large to remain off the core values of diversity and inclusion, reflecting their
the radar of the global art market ,” is becoming a stronger commitment to a more inclusive art world. Significantly,
2
marketplace for fine arts. Examining this gallery’s business the gallery was an early advocate for artists from the Global
strategy provides insights into how a body of expertise and South. This strategic decision has resulted in the successful
an organizational field are being developed in Africa. The representation of several high-profile artists, such as Yinka
fact that this gallery started in Accra and then expanded Shonibare CBE (British Nigerian), Tom Friedman, Jim
to Europe, along with its participation in international Hodges, and Kehinde Wiley (African American), Rivane
art fairs, could be considered an unprecedented business Neuenschwander and Luiz Zerbini (Brazilian), and Kendell
development. The success of Gallery 1957 should be Geers (South African/Belgian), among others. These
contrasted with Clare McAndrew’s 2022 Art Market efforts have helped diversify the art world and introduce
report, which found that dealers in African markets saw new voices to the contemporary art scene.
sales increase by just 5% from 2020 to 2021, compared
to a global aggregate increase of 18%. In her 2023 report, These four examples demonstrate how art galleries
McAndrew did not even include any African galleries . promote artists from the Global South and aid in
33
While most African galleries were underperforming in enhancing their reputation, ultimately leading to higher
comparison to their peers in other regions, Gallery 1957 is sales prices. Artists from the Global South still constitute
clearly the exception, but their fate is connected to a group a niche market in comparison to the overall market
of artists whose successful sales results have been captured turnover. However, these galleries have taken on artists
in our survey. whose careers have skyrocketed under their stewardship.
The dealer’s role is to build value for their artists, and our
Perrotin, established in 1990, is a prominent
contemporary art gallery with locations in Paris, study suggests that these galleries are among the most
successful in representing artists from the Global South.
New York, Hong Kong, Seoul, Tokyo, Shanghai, and Nevertheless, they embody diverse models that challenge
Dubai. The gallery represents over 50 artists from Europe,
Asia, and South America and has maintained working conventional thinking about how galleries can build value
relationships with some artists for nearly three decades. and whether the norms articulated in art market literature
Perrotin has demonstrated its commitment to gender over the past 20 years still hold.
diversity, with 33% of its represented artists being women. Ross Sutton Gallery is a newcomer, yet it stands as an
The gallery also participates in over 20 art fairs worldwide, excellent demonstration of the cultural transition that has
including prestigious events such as Art Basel in Basel, taken place since 2020 under the umbrella of the Black
Miami, and Hong Kong, Frieze Art Fair in London and Lives Matter movement. A young African-American
New York, FIAC in Paris, and Art Cologne. Moreover, gallerist has presented a group of emerging artists who have
they participate in regional fairs such as the Dallas Art found a willing market among a much wider audience than
Fair, Art Stage Jakarta, and Zona Maco, Mexico. Their what earlier African-American dealers, such as the Dales’
participation in regional fairs is indicative of their efforts to Brockman Gallery in Los Angeles or Just Above Midtown
engage with the local art scene and build relationships with in New York (founded in 1974 by Linda Goode Bryant),
collectors. The correlation between the nationality of the experienced. Ross-Sutton Gallery is the most successful
artists represented by the gallery, the fairs they participate gallery in our data set, having presented eight of the 51
in, and the locations of their gallery spaces suggest that artists in our sample. Gallery 1957 represents an even more
Perrotin strategically targets specific markets through radical departure from historical trends. As a Ghanaian
a physical presence in those regions and accelerates gallery that has successfully entered the European

Volume 2 Issue 1 (2024) 11 https://doi.org/10.36922/ac.1608