A visitor looks at an artwork by Beninese artist Romuald Hazoum titled Giant Ball displayed at the Contemporary African Arts Fair at Somerset House in Central London on Tuesday. Photo: AFP

 The first fair of contemporary African art outside Africa opened in London on Tuesday, a testament to the growing market for works rooted in the social and political realities of a troubled continent.

More than 70 artists are represented - after the number of countries in Africa - from well-established names to those with no presence outside their own nations.

Philip Boutte, an expert in contemporary African art at the Magnin-A gallery in Paris, said the fair showcased the breadth of paintings, sculpture and photography on offer.

"In the minds of many people, African art is all about indigenous art. At one point, people thought we were only offering Bushmen, people who make art without thinking, but there are genuine artists," he told AFP.

Behind him was a sculpture by Mozambique's Goncalo Mabunda, a throne made of pistols, Kalashnikovs and other weapons left over from that country's civil war.

Priced at 9,500 euros ($12,800), Zuma is at the lower end of the price range of the five-day fair at Somerset House, with works costing between $1,600 and $480,000.

Next to the sculpture is displayed 55,000-euro Letter from the ICC, an acrylic painting of a man sweating at a note from the International Criminal Court by Congolese artist Cheri Samba.

These two works are not subtle, but are striking examples some of the themes that bind the artists as much as their geographical location.

"Politics is a very clear theme, social issues are a very clear theme, beauty and aesthetics are very important," said Koyo Kouoh, the Cameroon­-born­ artistic director­ of the fair.

"Western art is full of ­auto-referential art. Artists think people are interested in their emotion - we are not."

The fair is supported by Christie's auction house and staged to coincide with Frieze London, in the hope of raising the profile of African artists.

Some have already benefit­ed from an increase in interest in recent years, with works by Ethiopian painter Julie Mehretu­ and Ghanaian sculptor El Anatsui now selling for more than a million dollars. But they remain the exception.

Kouoh says that as African countries grow economically, more people are looking at the continent's creative output.

"Art is driven by economic factors. Africa's economic indicators are very positive and naturally there is an interest in works of art," she told AFP.

Founder Touria el Glaoui, the daughter of celebrated Moroccan artist Hassan el Glaoui, said she hopes one day to take the fair to Africa.

"That is when my dream will be accomplished­," she said.

AFP