Marrakech – The opening of the major national exhibition “60 Years of Painting in Morocco” took place on Tuesday at the National Gallery Bab Rouah in Rabat.
The exhibition offers an in-depth reflection on six decades of Moroccan visual art, exploring questions of identity, modernity, and visual memory within a constantly evolving cultural context.
Organized by the Moroccan Syndicate of Professional Visual Artists, the exhibition presents a comprehensive reading of the trajectories of visual arts in Morocco.
Through a curated selection of works bringing together pioneers of the plastic arts movement and contemporary generations, the exhibition highlights the richness of the Moroccan artistic experience, the diversity of its aesthetic expressions, and the vitality of its successive generations.
Initiated with the support of the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication, and in partnership with the Bank Al-Maghrib Museum and the Villa des Arts – Fondation Al Mada, the exhibition pays tribute to artists who have contributed to shaping Morocco’s national artistic memory.
It also underscores the fundamental role of visual arts in cultural development and the international influence of the Kingdom, offering a living panorama where established artists engage in dialogue with emerging talents.
Mohammed Mansouri Idrissi, President of the Moroccan Syndicate of Professional Visual Artists, stated to MAP that the exhibition features the participation of more than 160 Moroccan artists from the new generation.
He added that the event is accompanied by the publication of an art book documenting this experience, including academic perspectives and photographs of artworks, thereby strengthening its documentary and archival dimension.
The president explained that the exhibition revolves around a central question that has shaped the Moroccan art scene since the mid-1960s: the relationship between Moroccan identity and modernity.
According to him, first-generation pioneers confronted this issue by drawing inspiration from international art movements while infusing their work with a distinctly Moroccan sensibility, leading to the emergence of a uniquely Moroccan “plastic thought.”
Contributing artist Bouzaïd Bouabid noted that the exhibition brings together early experiments in Moroccan visual arts alongside the most recent contemporary artistic trends.
He emphasized the wide range of techniques on display, from oil painting and watercolor to installation art, performance, and graphic arts.
The exhibition is spread across four emblematic venues: the National Gallery Bab Rouah, the Villa des Arts – Fondation Al Mada, the Bank Al-Maghrib Museum, and the Bab El Kébir Gallery at the Oudayas.
It will later travel to several cities across Morocco, including Casablanca, Tangier, Marrakech, and Laâyoune, as part of a national tour aimed at broadening public access, encouraging interaction with Moroccan visual arts, and strengthening their presence on the national cultural scene.
Several professional galleries are also participating in this celebration, including Galerie Dar d’Art (Tangier), Eden Art Gallery (Casablanca), Galerie 38 (Casablanca), Galerie Noir sur Blanc (Marrakech), Kent Gallery (Tangier), Khalid Fine Arts (Marrakech), Loft Art Gallery (Casablanca), and Myriem Himmich Gallery (Casablanca).
