'Highest Value' Female artists outsell men in African art scene

When female African artists collectively surpassed men in auction sales in 2023 for the first time, many dismissed it as an anomaly. But the trend persisted.

- Saeed Kamali Dehghan

When female African artists collectively surpassed men in auction sales in 2023 for the first time, many dismissed it as an anomaly. But the trend persisted. In 2024, women maintained a strong 52.8% share of sales, despite a broader decline in the African art market.

"This shift marks a significant moment in art market history, particularly as global sales of women artists have not yet reached parity with men," says Lindsay Dewar, the chief operating officer of the research company ArtTactic. "The African art scene stands out as a leader, where women artists are thriving and performing exceptionally well."

ArtTactic calculated the percentages from sales figures at international auction houses including Sotheby's, Phillips, Bonhams and Strauss & Co. In 2024, the total sales value of female African artists reached $22m (£17.5m), with 452 women represented—an increase from 288 in 2023, says Dewar.

The five highest-priced sales were all by women, with the Ethiopian-American contemporary artist Julie Mehretu leading the rankings. Already the best-selling artist of the year, her abstract acrylic and ink painting Mumbaphilia (J.E.) sold for $5.8m at Christie's. The second highest-grossing African female artist was the South African modernist Irma Stern (1894-1966), whose work was influenced by German expressionism.

While the market has been experiencing a downturn—falling by 27% in general and 45% in the African sector—the continued success of women suggests a fundamental change rather than a temporary fluctuation, Dewar says.