Visitors to London’s Somerset House this week might arrive at the Renaissance-style complex with a question: How on Earth did a double-decker bus get through its ornate (and quite low) archways?
The bus, visitors will quickly note, isn’t the product of a wrong turn but rather a special project in the Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court by Slawn. The artist, arguably one of the most buzzy names in the London art world right now, has spray-painted parts of the vehicle in his signature tongue-in-cheek styles that highlight themes of accessibility, modernity, and cultural symbols.
It’s a fittingly monumental entrance to the 11th edition of 1-54, which has become a staple of London’s art-packed October Frieze Week. With its sprawling corridors and tricky staircases, Somerset House might not be the first venue that many would associate with an art fair. But since it started in 2013, 1-54, which is dedicated to contemporary African art and its diaspora, has made the venue a comfortable home.
