Wise buys: 10 African artists to invest in now

1. KUDZANAI CHIURAI

Chiurai was born in 1981 in Zimbabwe, and lives in Harare.

His work is infused with youth culture, street art, and graffiti, and addresses exile, colonialism, and migration.

He's represented by Goodman Gallery.

2. WANGECHI MUTU

Mutu was born in 1972 in Kenya, and lives in Nairobi and New York.

Her Afro-futurist work investigates gender, race, colonialism, and politics in Africa.

She's represented by Victoria Miro.

3. AIDA MULUNEH

Muluneh was born in 1974 in Ethiopia, and lives in Addis Ababa.

Her signature rendering of painted human bodies is inspired by the African practice of body art.

She's represented by David Krut Gallery.

4. TURIYA MAGADLELA

Magadlela was born in 1978 in South Africa, and lives in Johannesburg.

She works with fabrics loaded with cultural significance, from pantyhose to institutional textiles.

She's represented by Blank Projects.

5. IO MAKANDAL

Makandal was born in 1987 in South Africa, and lives in Johannesburg.

Her work explores chance and the role it plays in her compositions.

She's represented by Kalashnikovv Gallery. 

6. SERGE ATTUKWEI CLOTTEY

Clottey was born in 1985 in Ghana, and lives in Accra.

He describes his practice, which comments on the effect of material culture on Africa, as “Afrogallonism”.

He's represented by Gallery 1957.

7. KEMANG WA LEHULERE

Wa Lehulere was born in 1984 in South Africa, and lives in Cape Town.

His work displays layering of ideas that explores black South African history and the function of memory.

He's represented by Stevenson Gallery.

8. PEJU ALATISE

Alatise was born in 1975 in Nigeria, and lives in Lagos.

Her work examines social, political, and gender-related issues, and focuses on women in contemporary Africa.

She's represented by Red Door Gallery.

9. PATRICK BONGOY

Bongoy was born in 1980 in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and lives in Cape Town.

He works in rubber, a material that is charged with significance in his native country.

He's represented by Ebony Curated.

10. MONGEZI NCAPHAYI

Ncaphayi was born in 1983 in South Africa, and lives in Johannesburg.

His practice is inspired by jazz and he is fascinated with the complexities of migration.

He's represented by SMAC Gallery.

• This article is adapted from one originally published in The Edit Man S/S17, a stand-alone Sunday Times fashion magazine sent out to select subscribers. Read it online now.