Paris is emerging as the epicenter of the contemporary African art scene
For its eleventh edition, the AKAA (Also Known As Africa) art fair returns to its historic venue in Paris’s 3rd arrondissement. Not far from the Carrousel du Louvre, collectors, gallery owners, artists, and contemporary art enthusiasts will gather under the luminous glass roof of the Carreau du Temple, in the heart of the Marais.
Since its inception, AKAA has established itself as France’s leading contemporary art and design fair focused on African art scenes and their diasporas. The event refuses to be confined by a reductive geographical label: it presents an ecosystem open to the world, where artists from the continent engage freely with international scenes in Latin America, Europe, and the Caribbean.
This 2026 edition marks a milestone in the African art market’s maturation. It no longer seeks to prove its legitimacy to Western institutions. Instead, it asserts its commercial strength, its curatorial freedom, and its ability to shape the major aesthetic trends of the future.
When Materials and Textiles Become the Heart of Aesthetic Reconciliation
Sitor Senghor
For the 2026 session, artistic direction has been entrusted to the renowned curator and cultural figure Sitor Senghor. His proposal explores the subject in all its dimensions: its role as a repository of memory, its ancestral symbols, and its artistic transformations.
The curatorial journey explores the idea of a fruitful reconciliation:
- To bridge the gap between art forms by breaking down the artificial barrier between traditional visual arts, arts and crafts, sculpture, and functional design.
- Reconciling individual memories and collective wounds to transform the archive into a living entity.
- To transcend formal divisions and conceive of the work of art as a tactile document, capable of evoking emotion and fostering universal dialogue.
In this interpretive framework, textiles and natural fibers take center stage. Long relegated to the margins of contemporary design, the art of weaving and fabric-making is celebrated here as a masterful medium for storytelling and cultural transmission.
Gabriel Dia and the Emotional Power of Suspended Fabric
The monumental centerpiece of this year’s event promises to be one of the fair’s most memorable moments. Senegalese visual artist and photographer Gabriel Dia unveils *Mother’s Heritage*, an immersive work designed to engage with the monumental scale of the Carreau du Temple.
For this spatial installation, Gabriel Dia chose to print large-format photographs directly onto strips of fabric suspended in midair:
- An intimate exploration of maternal lineage and grief through the tactile and fluid touch of fabric.
- The portrayal of male vulnerability and tenderness, breaking away from monolithic representations of the Black body.
- The transformation of photography into a floating sculpture, where the passage of light and the movement of visitors constantly reawaken the memory of the fabric.
By linking film photography with draped textiles, the artist reminds us that clothing and images share the same sacred function: to preserve the memory of those who came before us.
AKAA PHOTO: A Celebration of an Ever-Evolving Visual Memory
To celebrate the symbolic bicentennial of photography, the fair is launching a new dedicated section this year, called AKAA PHOTO. This specialized section showcases the artistry of photographers from the continent and the diaspora who document the transformations of the contemporary world.
This section explores three major dynamics:
- Architectural and sociological changes in African megacities, from Lagos to Kinshasa, including Abidjan and Johannesburg.
- A contemporary reinterpretation of ritual ceremonies, body adornment, and traditional dress codes.
- The critical documentation of political struggles, decolonial histories, and the individual freedoms won by new generations.
This feature confirms that African photography is establishing itself as a living archive of global significance, essential to understanding the present.
Why Designer Brands and Economic Debates Shape the Market
Beyond paintings and sculptures, AKAA provides strategic visibility to manufacturers of exceptional furniture and artisanal objects. By showcasing designers of lighting, fine wood furniture, and ceramics from Africa, the fair reminds us that contemporary lifestyle trends are also being shaped in workshops across West, Central, and Southern Africa.
Alongside the commercial component, the AKAA Rencontres public events punctuate the days with strategic roundtable discussions:
- Pricing and Market Structuring Mechanisms in the Pan-African Art Market in the Face of Global Auction Houses.
- The role of independent museums and local private foundations in keeping masterpieces on African soil.
- Intellectual Property and the Protection of Artisanal Designs in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.
These discussions provide both collectors and professionals with practical analytical tools to help them invest wisely and responsibly.
Fostering a dialogue between art and fashion to assert our cultural sovereignty
For fashion industry observers gathered atthe Africa Fashion Tour, the lineup for AKAA 2026 seems like a natural choice. Contemporary art and fashion are fighting the same battle: to restore the nobility of materials, celebrate the art of craftsmanship, and reject the homogenization of taste imposed by the global market.
From October 23 to 25, 2026, Paris will become the hub where the standards of style and visual thought are redefined. By celebrating memory through textiles and imagery under the direction of Sitor Senghor, AKAA demonstrates that African heritage is not a treasure frozen in the past, but a vibrant force designed to inspire the entire world.
Practical Information:
- Event dates: Friday, October 23, through Sunday, October 25, 2026 (invitation-only preview for industry professionals on Thursday, October 22).
- Location: Le Carreau du Temple, 4 rue Eugène Spuller, 75003 Paris.
- Public transportation: Temple Metro station (Line 3) or République Metro station (Lines 3, 5, 8, 9, 11).
- Hours: Friday and Saturday from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Sunday from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Admission prices: €16 (full price), €11 (reduced price) (free for children under 12).
- Official Ticket Office: Reservations and skip-the-line access are available directly at www.akaafair.com.
