The Marrakech edition of the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair has been pivotal in elevating the status of this Moroccan city since its establishment in 2018. The fair, now in its sixth edition, is just one component of a larger art ecosystem that has positioned Marrakech as a prominent art hub in Africa.
“Marrakech has attracted large groups of collectors and institutions through 1-54, significantly impacting the Moroccan art scene with galleries opening additional locations in the city,” Touria El Glaoui shared with ARTnews. She emphasized the strength of the Moroccan art market and the presence of several reputable galleries in cities like Casablanca, Rabat, Tangiers, and Marrakech.
The goal of launching a fair on the continent was always a priority for El Glaoui, with Marrakech being an ideal choice due to its appeal as a tourist destination and its upscale accommodations and culinary scene. The core mission of 1-54 is to showcase artists from Africa and the African diaspora, providing them with visibility and promotion.
The fair, held across two venues, draws an international audience, particularly from Francophone countries given Morocco’s historical ties to France. Galleries like Loft Art Gallery, a prominent commercial enterprise in Morocco, have seen success at 1-54 Marrakech, selling numerous artworks on the first day.
Participating galleries like Abla Ababou Gallery from Rabat are using the fair as an opportunity to showcase leading Moroccan artists who explore themes of memory and history through their choice of materials. The Moroccan art scene, while still emerging, has garnered significant interest from the global art community.
Notable works at the fair include Amoako Boafo’s 2021 painting „Blank Stare,“ acquired by Tate for its permanent collection. Tate’s involvement in the fair highlights the growing importance of contemporary African art acquisition and supports artists from the continent.
The diverse range of artworks at the fair includes pieces by Moroccan artists, both local and international. Each artwork offers a unique perspective, showcasing the talent and creativity present in the Moroccan art scene. A standout piece at Abla Ababou Galerie is a large-scale cracked clay work by Fatiha Zemmouri, while MCC Gallery’s booth features ethereal textile works by Malika Sqalli, a retired skydiver who sees them as self-portraits.
La Galerie 38, founded in Casablanca in 2010 and expanded to Marrakech in 2023, presents a group exhibition titled „Concrete Bridges“ at the fair, showcasing intergenerational works. Mohamed Hamidi’s untitled abstraction from 2023, a leading member of the Casablanca Art School, stands out in the booth. The gallery also features Op art pieces by Younes Khourassani, who studied under Hamidi in the late ’90s and early 2000s.
La Galerie 38 pairs the works of Hamidi and Khourassani to showcase the artistic lineage of contemporary art in Morocco, alongside emerging artists like Yacout Hamdouch, Meriam Benkirane, and Ghizlane Agzenaï. The gallery’s director notes Morocco’s growing cultural leadership in Africa and the exciting atmosphere at 1-54 in Marrakech.
Nil Gallery highlights the role of women in Moroccan society through photographer Sara Benabdallah’s images at the fair. The gallery also showcases Abdellah El Hariri’s geometric abstraction with calligraphy. Nil Gallery emphasizes Marrakech’s importance in contemporary African art and the expanding reach of 1-54.
Space Un, a Japanese gallery focusing on contemporary African art, collaborates with Senegal’s Galerie Atiss Dakar at the fair. The joint booth features works by artists hosted by Space Un, including Senegalese artist Aliou Diack. The fair provides a platform for cultural exchange and visibility for international galleries like Space Un.
Ross-Sutton Gallery, a first-time exhibitor at 1-54, sees the Marrakech edition as increasingly important for their business due to its smaller scale and networking opportunities. The fair’s unique atmosphere and diverse exhibitors contribute to its growing significance in the art world. Obwohl Ross-Sutton anfangs zögerte, ob sie auf einer Messe so weit von ihren beiden Standorten entfernt erfolgreich sein könnte, sagte sie, dass sie nach den ersten Stunden der Messe froh war, dass sie den Sprung trotzdem gewagt hatte.
„Die Leute sind hier in Marrakesch speziell für diese Messe“, sagte sie zu ARTnews und bemerkte, dass die Londoner und New Yorker Versionen von 1-54 technisch gesehen Ableger der Frieze-Messen in diesen Städten sind. „Es erinnert mich irgendwie an die Art Basel [in der Schweiz]. Die Kunst steht im Mittelpunkt. Es bringt eine Energie mit sich, die lebhaft und chaotisch auf eine gute Art ist.“
Zwei der Künstler, die sie auf der 1-54 New York gezeigt hat, sind auch hier an ihrem Stand in Marrakesch, wo die figürlichen Gemälde von Joshua Michael Adokuru ausverkauft waren und einige der keramischen Gefäße von Dina Nur Satti ebenfalls Käufer fanden. In den ersten Stunden hat sie bereits einige Verkäufe für diese beiden Künstler und die anderen in ihrem Stand gemacht.
Auch in Ross-Suttons Stand befinden sich Mixed-Media-Stücke des in Kapstadt ansässigen Künstlers Turiya Magadlela, in denen der Künstler bunte Strumpfhosen – orange, rot, pink – über Selbstporträts gespannt hat. Geboren 1978 und herangewachsen während des letzten Jahrzehnts der Apartheid-Ära in Südafrika, sind die Werke eine Möglichkeit für den Künstler, die „Kreuzung von Widerstand, Überleben und Selbstentdeckung“ zu verarbeiten, in der sie sich befand.
„Meine Arbeit ringt mit der Spannung zwischen dem Wunsch, in die exklusive Welt der 1% aufzusteigen und der Angst davor, was das kosten könnte – einschließlich der Entfremdung von meinen Wurzeln und meiner eigenen Menschlichkeit“, lautet das Künstlerstatement von Magadlela.