We are pleased to highlight how our collaborative approach takes form by highlighting our relationship with the rapidly growing Kristin Hjellejerde Gallery, who recently graduated to impressive new spaces in London and Berlin, with more to come.
The relationship started in 2017 when we acquired works from the gallery by Ethiopian artists Dawit Abebe and Ephrem Solomon. In early 2018 we acquired works by Spanish artist Christina Banban and soon after the gallery presented an exhibition of Zimbabwe artists Gresham Tapiya Nyaude and Takunda Regis Billiat, who were already in the Africa First collection.
This exhibition, titled "Kubatana", led to a major collaboration on a large African contemporary survey exhibition by the same title curated by Kristin at the Vestfossen Kunstlaboratorium from May to September 2019. Africa First contributed 12 works from the collection and was the lead sponsor.
Later in 2019 we acquired works by Haitian/American artist Florine Demosthene and French/Israeli artist Rebecca Brodskis from the gallery.
The mutual influence continued when the gallery decided to incorporate additional artists from the Africa First collection into their program with solo exhibitions for Wycliffe Mundopa from Zimbabwe, Sadikou Oukpedjo from Togo/Ivory Coast, Wendimagegen Belete from Ethiopia and most recently Kelechi Nwaneri from Nigeria.