"A work of Moroccan culture mixed with contemporary art" : three artists exhibit their universe at the gala

They are three Moroccan artists, one of whom is a woman. A creative partnership between Sébastien Langlöy, sculptor and manager of this gallery in the Carmes district, and these artists. “The organizer of the exhibition Najib Mtoul, author of the work “Books and Stars” inspired by the work of Saint-Exupéry, has set up a program in 2022 to create cultural bridges between French and Moroccan youth, he explains. He then suggested to me, as part of the inauguration of a gallery in Casablanca, to do an exhibition, including the statue of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. “For the moment, let’s discover the work of these talented artists, two of whom are self-taught: Ahmed Chiha and Bouchra Bifadli Allah.

The first’s paintings illuminate the space: “I use a goatskin support,” explains this landscaper, “which I then enhance with pigments. Then, using the tip of my brush, I apply the color delicately to obtain these precise signs which delineate the subjects.” The dreamlike message, always placed under the symbolic number of seven, can be interpreted according to everyone’s imagination. In this beautiful space, the eye also discovers the paintings of the self-taught painter Bouchra Bifadli Allah, who was unable to come, unfortunately absent, her visa having been refused.

“Coming from a rural environment, this artist, who was not educated, learned the technique of painting alone, specifies the researcher and curator of the exhibition Dr Hassan Laghdache. Through different paintings which recall the naive art of Douanier Rousseau, she expresses the hardness of life, particularly for women, in a daily which she knows well. Note that men are totally absent from her work. Throughout his paintings, scenes of household, meals, etc. unfold, interspersed with festive events such as marriage. A “first” exhibition in France for Bouchra, who now makes a living from his talent.

Paintings without male presence

Finally, let’s take a look at the unusual installations of Abdesslam Lahrach, professor of applied arts in Fez: “These installations, made from metal rods on which I wind white threads to give shape to the bodies and faces, detail, through the material, duality and hardness of life. Very contemporary pieces, with suspenseful characters who recall the ephemeral nature of existence. An exhibition where everyone sees what they want according to their origins and their background: “a work peppered with Moroccan culture mixed with contemporary art”, remarks Najib Mtoul, organizer of this event and painter since 2012, after having been an executive at the Central Bank of Morocco. He is also founder of the Ofoq’arts association, which promotes Moroccan culture.