The 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair will feature a curated selection of galleries presenting contemporary works by both emerging and established artists from Africa and its diaspora. As always, 1-54 will collaborate with leading institutions to offer tailored programming.
VIP Preview Day
Thursday, May 8, 2025
11 am – 7 pm
Public Hours
Friday May 9th, 11 am – 7 pm
Saturday May 10th, 11 am – 7 pm
Sunday May 11th, 11 am – 6 pm
Programming
Tea with Myrtis
Saturday, September 21st, Time: 2:00 – 4:00 pm
Ticketed event – details below
Galerie Myrtis is delighted to present “Extensions,” the inaugural solo exhibition by acclaimed artist Monica Ikegwu. The opening reception will take place on Saturday, August 17, from 2:00 to 6:00 pm.
In “Extensions,” Ikegwu’s masterful execution of hyperrealist portrayals of African Americans delves into the complexities and joys of their life experiences. Her paintings reveal the duality of her subjects, exuding confidence and composure while also displaying introspection and moments of joy. Ikegwu captures the subjects’ outward personas and inner essences with fluid brushstrokes and vivid hues. Set against monochromatic backgrounds that subtly add depth and dimension to the composition. The artist’s work is both striking and profoundly insightful.
Artist’s Statement
“In the hustle of daily life, how many people do you truly see? A handful? Maybe hundreds? Each fleeting glance offers only a fragmented snapshot of who they are in that moment. In my exhibition, Extensions, I explore the dynamic nature of human demeanor, attitude, and character, seeking to capture the complexity that lies beyond a single visual impression.
Through my hyper-realistic portraits of African Americans, I ask my subjects to reveal two distinct facets of their identity, each contributing to a holistic understanding of their persona. This duality encourages us to reconsider how we define and perceive individuals. What we see is just one dimension, but as we delve deeper and truly engage with others, we uncover the multiple layers of their personalities, which often manifest subtly in their appearance.
Having access to these less visible aspects of people transforms our perception of them. It enriches our understanding and fosters a deeper connection.
Moreover, this exploration extends to the concept of interconnectedness. Our identity can be reflected in those close to us—whether it’s a child, a sibling, or a friend. These relationships act as extensions of ourselves, revealing facets of our identity that might not be immediately apparent on the surface.
My work invites you to look beyond the surface and appreciate the multifaceted nature of human identity, ultimately challenging and enriching your perception of those around you.” – Monica Ikegwu
Programing
Tea with Myrtis
Saturday, September 21st, Time: 2:00 – 4:00 pm SOLD OUT
Biography
Monica Ikegwu (b.1998, Baltimore, Maryland) is a figurative painter. Ikegwu earned a BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art and an MFA from the New York Academy of Art.
In presenting the notion of the Black figure that is captivating and unconventional, Ikegwu uses color, fluid lines, and textured backgrounds to compose hyperrealist imagery. The concepts for her paintings stem from her surroundings, experiences, and encounters with people in Baltimore. The subjects presented in Ikegwu’s paintings are often her friends, siblings, and other family members from whom she draws her inspiration as she watches them progress through life.
Ikegwu is among the eight African American artists featured in the 2022 Venice Biennale exhibition The Afro-Futurist Manifesto: Blackness Reimagined, curated by Myrtis Bedolla of Galerie Myrtis. The exhibit explores the theme of Black life on the continuum of its imagined future presented in the Personal Structures art fair.
Ikegwu earned first place in the XL Catlin Art prize (2018), was a YoungArts Finalist (2017), a Gold medal winner in the NAACP ACT-SO National competition (2016), and a Scholastic silver medal portfolio winner (2016). Her work was exhibited at the XL Catlin Art Prize traveling exhibition and the Reginald F. Lewis Museum in 2018.
VIP Preview Day
Thursday, April 11th | 12:00 – 9:00pm
Public Hours
Friday, April 12th | 11:00am – 7:00pm
Saturday, April 13th | 11:00am – 7:00pm
Sunday, April 14th | 11:00am – 6:00pm
Galerie Myrtis is pleased to announce our forthcoming debut at EXPO Chicago. The booth will showcase contemporary artists who explore the cultural, social, and political landscapes of our world while showcasing the beauty of humanity.
The concept explores the rich tapestry of individual and collective identities, highlighting the artists’ unique perspectives and their profound contributions to the contemporary art landscape.
Presented artworks will delve into the complex intersections of race, gender, and culture, showcasing the artists’ distinct artistic approaches and their exploration of personal narratives and societal experiences. Through their respective mediums, Ikegwu, Lewis, Jackson, and Martin bring forth powerful and thought-provoking imagery that challenges traditional notions of identity and celebrates diversity.
Opening Reception
September 2, 2023
2:00 – 6:00 pm
This exhibition celebrates the rich history of black religious and spiritual traditions while also challenging the ways in which these practices continue to evolve and adapt in response to contemporary social and cultural realities.
Programming includes a book signing for “Shifting Time: African American Artists 2020-2021” on Saturday, September 16th from 5 – 7 pm. The event is in collaboration with the Petrucci Family Foundation (PFF). Claudia Volpe, the Director of PFF, and essayists Klare Scarborough and Berrisford Boothe will join featured artists for the event.
Exhibition Dates
September 2 – October 21, 2023
artwork Light in the Darkness II, 2023
Oil Paint on Canvas, 24 x 18″
by Monica Ikegwu
Galerie Myrtis announces our participation in CONTEXT Art Miami featuring new works from Tawny Chatmon, Morel Doucet, Monica Ikegwu, Megan Lewis, Delita Martin, and Felandus Thames at Booth A3.
Tawny Chatmon
Morel Doucet
Monica Ikegwu
Megan Lewis
Delita Martin
Felandus Thames
Fair Hours
(VIP Preview) Tuesday, November 29 — 6:30pm – 10pm
Wednesday, November 30 — 11am – 7pm
Thursday, December 1 — 11am – 7pm
Friday, December 2 — 11am – 7pm
Saturday, December 3 — 11am – 7pm
Sunday, December 4 — 11am – 6pm TICKETS & INFORMATION
Opening Reception: Saturday, September 17 – 2:00 ‐ 6:00 pm
Virtual Artist Talk: Wednesday, September 28 – 7:00 – 8:00 pm EDT.
The Beautiful and the Damned asserts beauty as imagined through the lens of three
African American women artists who challenge the historic limiting and unattainable
standards of what is desirable.
Personal Structures, July 2022
The Beauty and Confidence of Blackness
The Afro-Futurist Manifesto: Blackness Reimagined. With this installation, Galerie Myrtis seeks to provide insight into the socio-political concerns of the African-American community and celebrates black culture by paying tribute to the reliance, creativity, ingenuity, and spirituality that has historically sustained Black people, bringing it into a completely new set of Venetian landscapes.full article
Glasstire, June 2022
10 Works from the Venice Biennale that I Wish the Fort Worth Modern Would Acquire by Colette Copeland
[Tawny] Chatmon’s gold-leafed photographic portraits celebrate the beauty of black childhood. Inspired by 15th century Italian artists and artisans, as well as gold-inscribed historical relics, the artist juxtaposes the portraits onto historical landscape paintings as an act of affirmation.full article
New York Public Library, 2022
Tribute to an Afrofuturist Deity: Schomburg Center Artist & Educator M. Scott Johnson Exhibits at 59th Venice Biennale
…The stone chips were flying as M. Scott Johnson, a sculptor and visual arts instructor at the Center’s Junior Scholars Program, began work on the first sculpture of his triptych, The Metamorphosis of High John the Conqueror: Tribute to an Afrofuturist Deity.full article
Artlyst, April 2022
Eight Of The Best Collateral Events – 59th Venice Biennale by Lee Sharrock
Myrtis Bedolla, founding director of Galerie Myrtis in Baltimore MD, has curated a breathtaking group exhibition at the European Cultural Centre in Palazzo Bembo. Titled ‘The Afro-Futurist Manifesto: Blackness Reimagined’, the exhibition groups together 8 artists who are reclaiming the inequality of white art history from the point of view of a black narrative…full article
Pigmment Magazine, 2022
Venice says “BENVENUTO to Galerie Myrtis in 2022
[Galerie Myrtis] is the first Black-owned gallery to be invited to participate in the Biennale-affiliated “Personal Structures: Time Space and existence.” The gallery was invited to the prestigious show by the European Cultural Centre-Italy.full article
Black art in America, April 2022
Galerie Myrtis: Exhibiting Black Art at The Venice Biennale by Shantay Robinson
By invitation of the European Cultural Centre-Italy, Galerie Myrtis is the first black-owned gallery to be invited to participate in the Biennale-affiliated exhibition Personal Structures: Time, Space, and Existence. This historic moment is predated by the 2020 racial reckoning the world experienced.full article
Culture Type, August, 2021
Latest News in Black Art: Guggenheim Hires Diversity Chief, Galerie Myrtis Presenting Exhibition at Venice Biennale, Kehinde Wiley Redesigns MTV Moonperson & More by Victoria L. Valentine
Galerie Myrtis Fine Art & Advisory of Baltimore, Md., was invited to participate in Personal Structures, an affiliate exhibition at the 2022 Venice Biennale. The Black-owned gallery founded by Myrtis Bedolla will present “The Afro-Futurist Manifesto: Blackness Reimagined,” featuring eight artists—Tawny Chatmon, Larry Cook, Morel Doucet, Monica Ikegwu, M. Scott Johnson, Delita Martin, Arvie Smith, and Felandus Thames.full article
CNN, March 13, 2024 Monica Ikegwu on ‘Art is Life’ segment
During the interview conducted by correspondent Victor Blackwell, Ikegwu discussed the sense of empowerment her subjects gain through modeling and the importance of visibility. Further, the interview uplifted Monica’s forthcoming solo exhibition with Galerie Myrtis, “Extensions,” opening in the Fall. Band of Vices coordinated the CNN segment.watch segment
Christies, September, 2022
Post-War to Present… and Collaboration with Galerie Myrtis: Time, Space, Existence: Afro-futurist Visions
Among the highlights are a groundbreaking group of six artworks in collaboration with Myrtis Bedolla, Time, Space, Existence: Afro-Futurist Visions from Galerie Myrtis. Each of the six artists—Delita Martin, Larry Cook, M. Scott Johnson, Monica Ikegwu, Morel Doucet, and Tawny Chatmonfull article
Culture Type, August, 2021
Latest News in Black Art: Guggenheim Hires Diversity Chief, Galerie Myrtis Presenting Exhibition at Venice Biennale, Kehinde Wiley Redesigns MTV Moonperson & More by Victoria L. Valentine
Galerie Myrtis Fine Art & Advisory of Baltimore, Md., was invited to participate in Personal Structures, an affiliate exhibition at the 2022 Venice Biennale. The Black-owned gallery founded by Myrtis Bedolla will present “The Afro-Futurist Manifesto: Blackness Reimagined” featuring eight artists—Tawny Chatmon, Larry Cook, Morel Doucet, Monica Ikegwu, M. Scott Johnson, Delita Martin, Arvie Smith, and Felandus Thames.full article
In The Afro-Futurist Manifesto: Blackness Reimagined, artists assert agency over narratives of Black life, offer discourse into the socio-political concerns of African Americans, and pay tribute to the resiliency, creativity, and spirituality that have historically sustained Black people. ● Curated by Myrtis Bedolla, Founding Director, Galerie Myrtis
FEATURED ARTISTS
Tawny Chatmon ● Larry Cook ● Morel Doucet ● Monica Ikegwu ● M. Scott Johnson ● Delita Martin ● Arvie Smith ● Felandus Thames
Daniel F Bergsvik and Donald N. Hastler
Reginald and Aliya Browne
Ilona Sochynsky
The Tibbles Family Trust
Members of the European Cultural Centre Italy Team talk about the sixth edition of Personal Structures, how the project started years ago and its main aim and values (Galerie Myrtis feature at 1:46)
Presenting the 2022 ECC Awards
Like every edition, the European Cultural Centre presents the ECC Awards to commemorate the closing of the exhibition and to honour the participants that haven taken part in it
During the Closing Event on Sunday 27th of November, 2022, ECC Italy announced the winners and special mentions of this year’s ECC Awards, which were carefully selected by the European Cultural Centre curatorial team. The winners received the unique award of the artwork “1 meter” by the Dutch artist René Rietmeyer, initiator of the project Personal Structures and of the European Cultural Centre itself. The nominees were selected for the categories of: painting and mixed media, sculpture and installation, photography, video and digital art, and university research projects and lifetime achievement.
Tawny Chatmon (b. 1979, Tokyo, Japan) is a self‐taught, award‐winning artist who has been working in the field of photography for more than 17 years. The primary theme that drives Chatmon’s practice is celebrating the beauty of black childhood. She is currently devoted to creating portraits that are inspired by artworks spanning various periods in Western Art with the intent of bringing to the forefront faces that were often under‐celebrated in this style of work.
Museum Collection:
Minneapolis Institute of Art
Microsoft Corporate Collection
Petrucci Family Foundation Collection of African American Art
University of Maryland Global Campus
Larry Cook (b. 1986, Laurel, Maryland) is an award-winning photographer and conceptual artist whose work spans installation, video, and photography. Cook’s work explores the cultural aesthetic of “club” photography to examine how urban culture and incarceration systems become entwined through backdrops. The backdrop is central for its relationship to the formal, social, and cultural aspects of photographic history.
Museum Collections:
Baltimore Museum of Art (promised gift)
Museum of Modern Art
Harvard Art Museums
Morel Doucet (b. 1990, Pilate, Haiti) is a Miami‐based multidisciplinary artist and arts educator that hails from Haiti. He employs ceramics, illustrations, and prints to examine the realities of climate‐gentrification, migration, and displacement within the Black diaspora communities.
Museum Collections (selected):
Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM)
UK Contemporary Art Society, Plymouth Box Museum
Petrucci Family Foundation Collection of African American Art
Monica Ikegwu (b.1998, Baltimore, Maryland) is a figurative painter. She presents her ideas of the figure in a way that is not only captivating, but also unconventional in her use of color, texture, and composition.
Museum Collection:
Petrucci Family Foundation Collection of African
American Art
M. Scott Johnson (b. 1968, Inkster, Michigan) is a New York City‐based artist and educator, has carved out a legacy as one of the most stimulating and unique artists of his generation. M. Scott has explored, both in his practice and through his 20‐year visual arts teaching residency at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem, New York, a rich vision of contemporary Afro‐aesthetics.
Museum Collections:
The Hampton University Museum
The Schomburg Center Research in Black Culture
Embassy of Oslo Norway, Arts in Embassies Program
Delita Martin (b. 1972, Conroe, Texas) is a master printmaker, illustrator, and painter based in Huffman, Texas. Through the weaving of history and storytelling, Martin offers a new narrative on the power of women whose stories are not only layered in textures and techniques but also symbolism.
Museum Collections (selected):
Crystal Bridges Museum
Minneapolis Institute of Art
Minnesota Museum of American Art
National Museum of Women in the Arts
Library of Congress
The Studio Museum in Harlem
Petrucci Family Foundation Collection of African-American Art
Arvie Smith (b.1938, Houston, Texas) transforms the history of oppressed and stereotyped segments of the American experience into lyrical two‐dimensional master works.
Museum Collections (selected):
Delaware Museum of Art
Hallie Ford Museum of Art
Petrucci Family Foundation Collection of African American Art
Portland Art Museum
Reginald F. Lewis Museum
Felandus Thames (b. 1974, Jackson, Mississippi) is a conceptual artist living and practicing in the greater New York area. Thames’ work attempts to transcend didacticisms that are typically associated with anachronistic understandings of representation and instead aligns itself with ideas around the taxonomy of human difference.
Museum Collections (selected):
Aspen Museum of Art
Petrucci Family Foundation Collection of African American Art
Smith Robertson Museum
Studio Museum of Harlem
Myrtis Bedolla is the owner and founding director of Galerie Myrtis, an emerging blue-chip gallery and art advisory specializing in twentieth and twenty-first-century American art with a focus on work created by African American artists. Bedolla possesses over 30 years of experience as a curator, gallerist, and art consultant.
Established in 2006, the mission of the gallery is to utilize the visual arts to raise awareness for artists who deserve recognition for their contributions in artistically portraying our cultural, social, historical, and political landscapes; and to recognize art movements that paved the way for freedom of artistic expression.