News | Marrakech prepares to stage the 1-54 African Art Fair

The finishing touches are being applied in Marrakech as it readies itself in anticipation for next week’s 1 54 International African Art Fair. The popular international art fair, which showcases the finest in contemporary art from Africa and the African diaspora, will return to the city for the first time since 2020, after a hiatus brought on by covid-19.

 

Opening to the press and VIPs on Thursday 9^th February, before welcoming the public from Friday, the four-day festival will run until the 12^th at the world famous La Mamounia Hotel, with approximately 6000 people expected to be in attendance.

Meanwhile, partner events, including forums, talks and conferences will be held concurrently throughout Marrakesh, at some of the Red City’s top local art institutions, including MACAAL (Musée d’Art Contemporain Africain Al Maaden), MAP Marrakech (Musée des Arts de la Parure) and Al Maqam (artists’ residence).

20 exhibitors from Africa, Europe, the United States and South America will participate, displaying works by over 60 artists, across a range of media, including painting sculpture and photography. New works will be presented by favourites Abdoulaye Konaté, Prince Gyasi, Nú Barreto, Youssef Nabil, Joanna Choumali and Ana Silva, alongside debut exhibitions from emerging talents Ismail Zaidy Bathelemy Toguo, Kehinde Wiley, Mariam Abouzid Souali, Thandiwe Muriu, and Omar Ba, among others.
 

1-54, whose name draws reference to the 54 countries of Africa, is now in its tenth year, having made its debut in London in 2013. Founded by Touria El Glaoui, the daughter of celebrated Moroccan painter Hassan El Glaoui, it has since gone on to stage annual editions in New York (since 2015) and Marrakesh (since 2018) as well as a pop-up fair in Paris. Its raison d’etre is to project a different image of Africa to the world, through the fascinating perspectives and technical ingenuity of its wealth of artist talent.  

Speaking about this year’s event El Glaoui beamed:

“Finally, after 3 years away from our partners, friends, and family in Marrakech, we are delighted to announce our return to the beautiful La Mamounia hotel for our fourth fair on the African continent… Our inspired programme of events and wonderful galleries will provide visitors with an exciting experience with so much amazing art to discover! I cannot wait to welcome you all again to my homeland and look forward to celebrating with all our supporters soon.”

Admission is free, but those unable to participate in person can connect online via Artsy.net, where they will be able to explore, connect with, and collect from all the galleries and artists from 9-26 February.

A Flourishing Art Scene

“This city taught me colour. Before that everything was black.” - French designer Yves Saint Laurent
 
Although it has long been a favourite destination of artists, from Jacques Majorelle to Yves Saint Laurent, in recent years, Morocco – and Marrakesh in particular – has sought to break from its more traditional image to embrace and support a burgeoning art scene. It has positioned itself as an artistic hub looking to represent and promote art from across the African continent, through a variety of initiatives and events.

Marrakech Biennale, founded in 2004, was established to celebrate cultural diversity and innovation in the fields of Visual Art, Literature and Film, via the staging of talks, events, debates, screenings and ‘happenings’ throughout Marrakesh’s eclectic range of venues and showcasing the cutting edge of contemporary African art.

In 2016, The Musée d’Art Contemporain Africain Al Maaden was opened, offering locals and visitors to the city the opportunity to experience first-hand the works of Africa’s finest visual artists. It has since gone on to organise exhibitions throughout the city, such as the blowing up and displaying of works by the acclaimed Malian photographer Seydou Keita onto the walls of the city’s iconic Medina.
 

These initiatives seem to have already begun to bear fruit. Throughout Marrakech, beyond the walls of the main institutions, an explosion of creativity has taken place in recent years; with countless small galleries and workshops springing up in all corners of the city.

Deep inside the Medina, Moroccan photographer and acclaimed pop-artist Hasan Hajjaj has converted a disused building into a tearoom, recycling and recontextualizing old objects, such as Coca-Cola crates, to create furniture and adorning the walls with fascinating photos revealing the unusual side to Arabian life.

In the bohemian district of Gueliz, the familiar confines of the Comptoir des Mines gallery stages the works of some of the country’s best artists in a wonderfully welcoming and laid back environment, while Italian Rocco Orlacchio, a long-term resident of Marrakesh set up the Voice Gallery in 2011 to showcase emerging talent, both local and international.   

Set among the bubbling hotbed of talent and creativity that is Marrakech, this year’s 1-54 African Art Fair can’t fail to be a hit.
For more information about the event, including a full list of participating galleries, visit https://www.1-54.com/marrakech/

>>> Explore our selection of luxury villas in Marrakech 

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© Images 1-5:

1: Thandiwe Muriu, In full bloom, 2022, Courtesy of 193 Gallery
2: Courtesy of 1-54 c Nicolas Brasseur, 2020
3: Joana Choumali, Because you are my person, 2022, Courtesy of Loft Art Gallery
4: Ismail Zaidy,Equal Bunshine, 2019, Courtesy of MAÂT Gallery
5: Nicolas Lambelet Coleman, After Dinner in Tangiers, 2022, Courtesy of the artist and Foreign Agent

Photos have been cropped. To see the originals contact the owners or visit the fair!