Morocco: bridging Africa and the world through contemporary art

This week, Spotlight on Africa takes us to Marrakech, Morocco. RFI English was on the ground to cover the Moroccan edition of the 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair, which first launched in London in 2013, followed by New York in 2015, and Marrakech in 2018. Through conversations with a range of guests, we explore how Morocco has become a key platform connecting the African continent with the wider world.

Gallery owner Yasmine Berrada and photographer Mous Lamrabat at the inauguration of his 'Homesick' art exhibition in Marrakesh, Morocco, on 31 January 2025. © RFI/Melissa Chemam

Since its launch in 2013, and even more so since 2018, the 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair has grown into one of the most significant cultural events for African art, drawing gallery owners and artists from across the continent and beyond.

The galleries represent artists from all over the continent, from Ghana to South Africa, Tunisia to Angola.

The fair took place in the iconic events' venue La Mamounia, in the heart of Marrakesh.

The Marrakesh edition of the 1:54 art fair takes place primarily at La Mamounia near La Medina, Morocco, here on 30 January 2025. © RFI/Melissa Chemam

Since 2024, the art fair has also had exhibition spaces for younger artists in Dada, a gathering space for art, food and music near La Medina.

This year's fair was held from 30 January to 2 February, during which the entire city hosted various art events, including exhibitions at the El Badi Palace and MACAAL, a museum dedicated to contemporary African art and artists from the African diaspora.

'Le Miroir': Performance by African American artist Miles Greenberg during 1:54 Marrakesh at El Badi Palace, in Morocco, on 1st February 2025. © RFI/Melissa Chemam

To understand how the fair built a platform for African art, RFI spoke to the fair's founder and director, Touria El Glaoui on the opening day in Marrakesh.

Touria El Glaoui, founder and director of the 1:54 art fair, at La Mamounia, Marrakesh, Morocco, on 30 January 2025. © RFI/Melissa Chemam

El Glaoui shared how she frequently travels to African countries to discover new artists, events, and galleries. She also noted that new participants from across the African continent—and now even from Japan and Korea—are coming to the fair seeking representation.

We also visited other sites that make the event special, including art galleries, like Loft. 

Yasmine Berrada, co-founder of the Loft art gallery, and Mous Lamrabat, Moroccan-Belgian artist, at his gallery press visit in Marrakesh, Morocco, on 1st February 2025. © RFI/Melissa Chemam

“We opened the gallery sixteen years ago and we are a Moroccan gallery based in Morocco but with a real openness to the international scene," Yasmine Berrada, co-founder of the gallery, told RFI.

"We’re open to Africa. We represent African artists from its diaspora. We’ve also worked with European artists," she added. "We’re not closed off at all because, for me, there shouldn’t be any separation in art. I think that, on the contrary, we need to open up perspectives and integrate the Moroccan art market into the international stage."

Our guests this week:

-Touria El Glaoui, founder and director of the 1:54 contemporary African art fair;

-Mous Lamrabat, Moroccan-Belgian artist;

-Yasmine Berrada, co-founder of the Loft art gallery.  

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Episode mixed by Melissa Chemam.

Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale's English language service.