In November 2014, a collection of antique African art from Mali, Gabon, Congo and Liberia was sold in New York at Sotheby’s for a record-breaking price of $41 million. This is the largest ever sum realized from the sale of African art in the USA.
Not too long ago, a set of wooden sculptures by the Nigerian artist Ben Enwonwu sold in London for over $500,000, three times the expected price.
New World Map, the aluminium and copper sculpture of El Anatsui, the Ghanaian artist, sold for roughly $767,000, one of the highest prices ever fetched by the work of an indigenous African artist.
After decades of neglect, both antique and contemporary works of African art are attracting high prices in the world’s major art markets.
In 2017, more investors and collectors will be upping the demand for African art, and more millionaires will be made in the process.