Fez — Yesterday, Moroccan artist Hajar Lmortaji opened her exhibition “Dans l’Imaginaire de Pessoa” at Galerie Nationale Bab El-Kebir in Oudayas, offering a visual reading of the poetic world of Portuguese writer Fernando Pessoa.
The exhibition, running from May 13-22 brings together works that interpret Pessoa’s poems through painting, combining literary reflection with what Lmortaji describes as a Moroccan visual expression.
Speaking to MWN Lifestyle magazine, Lmortaji said the exhibition is an attempt to translate poetry into images.
“This exhibition is called ‘Through the Imaginary of Fernando Pessoa,’ with the Moroccan expression,” she highlighted.
“I try to interpret the poems of Fernando Pessoa and communicate them through visuals, through my paintings.”
Lmortaji explained that the works, particularly the new pieces, are each connected to a poem by Pessoa.
“Each painting, especially the new one, is related to a poem of Fernando Pessoa,” she told MWN Lifestyle magazine. “It’s an interpretation of a poem of Fernando Pessoa.”
The artist said the project differs from some of her previous work because of its more reflective and intellectual character.
She highlighted that this particular work is “more intellectual” than the other styles and works she has.
Lmortaji also rejected the idea that artists should be confined to one fixed style, arguing that artistic practice should remain open and varied.
“An artist is a free, creative person,” she said. “We speak several languages, we have several tones when we talk about any story.”
She added that this multiplicity is central to how artists communicate emotion.
“It’s the same for art,” Lmortaji emphasized. “We use several tones, we use several styles, because we are communicating several emotions.”
