Find Me In A Gallery

Gallery moments with your Cultural Babe.

This title was given to me by my friends and family who would always say :

‘ You’re always in a Gallery’. - So I guess, that’s where you’ll find me 😉.

Every weekend, I’d find myself in an exhibition or be invited to private opening night for a new artist collection up in London. Always on a Thursday, 6-9pm ( does anyone know why gallery nights are always on a Thursday night?) 🤔

So Art week, took place October 15- 19 2025. I was blessed with VIP tickets, so I wasn’t going to miss this opportunity! But the thing is, Im hesitant to return to these African Art Fairs : It’s starting to feel repetitive. Predictable! And more importantly, it feels less like African Art is being invited, and more like it’s being collected like currency? Which makes me question if it’s slowly losing its true value.

Don’t get me wrong, I feel at awe when I see Art works, especially at Art 1-54, representing artists from as many African countries in the continent!

As an African in the Diaspora, I think it’s pretty dope, to be able to see art work in one space. So how it works, you have Galleries from around the world, who represent African Artists. Somerset House transforms across 2–3 floors ; an immersive walkthrough you can experience in about Two hours. Sculptures, books, paintings in rooms curated with precision, waiting for the right gaze..

But this year felt different. I actually got to speak with some of the artists , which is always a pleasure! And not just feel the gallery owners scanning me like:

‘Is she just another Black girl here for vibes, or is she a real Art Babe?’
(For the record, I’m absolutely both😉)

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One of my favourite pieces at 1-54 ; Nnenna Chimereogo Okeke, Nigerian Visual Artist.

But I didn’t go to Art Week to observe…

I went to understand how the world is currently staging us and to see whether anything in those rooms felt like it was being built for us, not merely about us. Because there’s a difference between representation and authorship, between being displayed and being in control of the narrative, OUR NARRATIVE!

And as I moved through the room, that difference became painfully clear..

Beautiful pieces from : RugiYatou Ylva Jallow.

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Find me in a Gallery | Vol 1

So, where do we go from here? This is the first note of my ‘Find Me in A Gallery series’. I’ll be sharing more of my Gallery notes, reflections & pictures not just to react, but to contribute. To connect people around the world to the work that moves me.

“Find Me In A Gallery” might just be the difference the Art world needs…

Episode 2, coming to your Inbox soon!

Lots of Love,

HouseofGoldLondon🌍🥂