Hannah O’Leary, former Senior Vice President and Head of Modern & Contemporary African Art at Sotheby’s, has launched Hannah O’Leary Fine Art (HOLFA), an independent London-based firm specialising in private sales and advisory services for modern and contemporary African art.
The firm will make its public debut at the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair in London from 15 to 18 October, as part of the 1-54 Presents programme. Its launch comes as international interest in African art continues to grow, alongside demand for specialist advice and alternative ways to buy and sell significant works.
HOLFA focuses on the secondary market, connecting collectors with works held in private collections, estates and institutions. Its services include private sales, auction advice, collection management and strategic support for museums, foundations and private collectors.
At 1-54 London, O’Leary will present works by seven prominent African modernists: Skunder Boghossian of Ethiopia, Gerard Sekoto of South Africa, Sam Ntiro of Tanzania, Papa Ibra Tall of Senegal, Uzo Egonu of Nigeria, Kofi Antubam of Ghana and Bertina Lopes of Mozambique.
O’Leary said the artists were among the most significant figures in twentieth-century African art, whose work reflected the influence of independence movements, Pan-Africanism and global modernism. Yet, she noted, some had never been represented at an international art fair, highlighting the work still needed to secure wider recognition for their contributions.
Building a market for African art
O’Leary brings more than two decades of experience in the international African art market to the new venture. She co-founded Bonhams’ African art auctions in 2006 before joining Sotheby’s in 2016 to establish and lead its Modern & Contemporary African Art department.
During her time at Sotheby’s, she set more than 200 world auction records for African artists and oversaw some of the highest-grossing contemporary African art auctions ever held. Her work also involved collaborating with collectors, artists, academics and cultural institutions to strengthen the international profile of artists whose historical significance had not always been reflected in market valuations.
With HOLFA, she aims to address what she sees as a gap in the market: independent specialist advice and a discreet route for private transactions.
“Most twentieth-century African art still changes hands at auction,” O’Leary said. “What collectors have lacked is independent advice from someone who knows the whole continent, not just a single national market – and a dedicated, discreet way to buy and sell privately. That is what HOLFA offers.”
Private sales and collection advisory
Private transactions will form the core of HOLFA’s business, providing access to significant works that may rarely appear on the open market. The firm will also advise clients on when and where to buy or sell through auction houses, including guidance on bidding strategies and negotiating terms.
Its wider advisory services will cover acquisition planning, collection management, valuations, the sale of works from existing collections, international museum loans and legacy planning. HOLFA will also work with museums and foundations on collection strategies, market intelligence and acquisitions, while helping African collectors access international art and artists through O’Leary’s professional network.
The launch reflects changes in the market, where collectors across Africa and the diaspora have built substantial collections and increasingly seek the specialist support long available to collectors in Europe and the United States. A new generation of high-level collectors is also entering the field, adding to demand for informed guidance on acquisitions, sales and the long-term stewardship of collections.
Through HOLFA, O’Leary is positioning her new firm to serve this evolving market, with a focus on expanding access to important African artworks and strengthening recognition of the artists who shaped the continent’s modern and contemporary art history.
