AKAA (Also Known As Africa) held its 11th edition at the Carreau du Temple in Paris from 23 to 25 October. With 2026 marking the bicentenary of photography, AKAA this year paired photography with works on paper. Its artistic director, Sitor Senghor, discusses why the fair brought these two forms together, how AKAA’s sits beside 1-54 and the possibilities of an artist’s first gesture on paper.

This interview has been translated from French and edited for length and clarity.

Art Report Africa: 1-54 closed in London recently. How did you try to position AKAA this year?

SS: 1-54 and AKAA are the two main contemporary African art fairs, but we cater to two different markets: London and Paris.

I would say that London is historically the more established market, at least from a commercial perspective. The market for contemporary African art developed there largely thanks to the Nigerian and Ghanaian diasporas, which supported artists from their countries and played an important role in making the fair successful.

In Paris, AKAA initially developed with a much more French approach, one that places greater emphasis on culture rather than focusing exclusively on the market. There is a strong commitment to cultural exchange and transmission, and that remains a defining part of AKAA’s identity.

We also have a role in discovering and promoting artists who have not yet received much exposure. That is something we are very attached to. Of course, we are fully aware that we operate within an art market, so we also need to present established artists. But the two fairs are entirely complementary because they serve different markets.

Today, from a market perspective, I would say that Paris has certain advantages. Although there is still an enormous amount of money in London, we benefit from being part of the European Union and therefore do not face the same consequences of Brexit. We also have Art Basel Paris, which attracts collectors from all over the world.

ARA: Why bring photography and works on paper together?

Sitor Senghor: The main idea this year was to give photography greater visibility, because I feel that African photography is not given enough space, apart from a few major names that are already well established. There is such creativity and diversity among photographers across the continent that I felt it was important to showcase it.

Photography has traditionally been regarded as a minor art form compared with painting or sculpture. So I thought, if we are going to present photography, which is considered a minor art, why not associate it with works on paper, which are also often regarded as a lesser art form? Works on paper are generally seen as preparatory studies, drafts or sketches, and even today, their market value remains significantly lower than that of the so-called fine arts.

ARA: How do collectors respond to works on paper compared with paintings?

SS: Because works on paper are generally more affordable, they can provide an entry point for first-time collectors. You can start by collecting works on paper and then gradually move on to more significant acquisitions.

ARA: What does the bicentenary of photography mean for a fair dedicated to Africa?

SS: The bicentenary of photography is a worldwide celebration. As far as Africa is concerned, placing a particular focus on photography allows us to showcase a number of artists who are not usually given much visibility.

With today’s new technologies, photography has become accessible to artists who have not necessarily attended art schools or trained in professional photography studios under established masters. It has become a medium that virtually anyone can explore.

When you see the results, it is astonishing. There are genuine masterpieces, with extraordinarily powerful approaches to subjects such as identity, contemporary environmental issues and other pressing concerns. What makes these works particularly compelling is that they offer a perspective rooted in the continent itself, shaped by its history, its suffering and its experiences. They reveal aspects of Africa that no one else can portray in quite the same way.

ARA: You describe paper as a medium that offers tremendous creative freedom. What can artists achieve on paper that other media do not allow?

SS: What interests me most about works on paper is the immediacy of that first gesture. It is something very natural. That initial drawing, that first attempt, marks the very beginning of inspiration, and I always find that magical.

There is something incredibly powerful about it. I am not saying that developing a work further through painting necessarily improves it. What fascinates me is precisely that first gesture, that spontaneity, the way something emerges directly from the artist’s mind. To me, that is essential.

Take the early sketches of Western artists such as Michelangelo or Leonardo da Vinci. They are absolutely magical, and they possess all the expressive power of their sculptures or monumental paintings.

To take an African example, look at the watercolours and drawings by Ouattara Watts. Everything is already there. There is no need to translate them into an enormous two-metre canvas. Drawing is not a minor art form: his entire artistic universe is present in those watercolours.