Fez — Moroccan modern and contemporary art is being showcased in Abu Dhabi through works by the late Mohamed Melehi and Chaibia Talal, featured in the exhibition “The Last Century: 100 Years of Arab Art.” The show is hosted by the Khulood Art and Culture Center and opens to visitors at the start of 2026.
The exhibition brings together original works by leading Arab artists from across the region, offering a broad survey of modern and contemporary visual expression from the Maghreb to the Gulf.
Curated by Jihad Mikhail, the show aims to explore the evolving dialogue between heritage and modernity within Arab art over the past century.
Two Moroccan voices, two artistic paths
Morocco is represented through two figures whose practices reflect contrasting yet complementary artistic trajectories. Mohamed Melehi, an academically trained artist, is known for reinterpreting Moroccan visual heritage through a modernist lens shaped by his studies in Europe and the United States. His work on display features his signature wave motif, developed in the mid-1970s, a visual language that has become emblematic of Moroccan modern art.
Alongside Melehi, the exhibition presents a painting by Chaibia Talal, widely regarded as one of the most prominent figures of Moroccan “naive” or self-taught art. Her work, created through expressive color and figurative forms, stands as a powerful example of intuitive painting that emerged outside academic institutions while gaining international recognition.
A century of Arab visual expression
Spanning roughly one hundred years, from the early 20th century to contemporary practices, the exhibition brings together pioneering modernists, influential mid-century artists, and later voices that shaped the evolving Arab art scene. The curatorial approach emphasizes the tension and continuity between authenticity and transformation, constructing a narrative rooted in local contexts while remaining open to global artistic currents.
Through works by artists such as Melehi and Chaibia, the exhibition seeks to highlight the contribution of the Arab world to global culture, illustrating how artists from different countries translated their environments, philosophies, and personal journeys into distinct visual languages.
Works from major collections
The painting by Chaibia Talal on view was created in 1988 and belongs to the collection of the Barjeel Art Foundation. Melehi’s work, dating to 1975 and featuring his iconic wave form, is also held by the same foundation and is presented in Abu Dhabi during the month of January.
By placing Moroccan modern and contemporary art within a broader regional framework, the Abu Dhabi exhibition affirms Morocco’s enduring role in shaping Arab visual culture. It also underscores how the story of Arab art continues to unfold with each generation, carrying forward a shared yet constantly evolving creative legacy.
