Rabat — Rabat is bringing together artists from across Africa for the inaugural edition of “Générations Afrique: Créateurs africains pour un continent en mouvement,” an international contemporary art exhibition running from October 21 to 30 at Bab Rouah Gallery.

Organized by the Museum of Bank Al-Maghrib and the ARKANE Association, the exhibition places artistic exchange and intergenerational collaboration at its center, with the Republic of Benin participating as this edition’s guest of honor.

The opening ceremony is scheduled for today, October 21, at 5:30 p.m., introducing works by 15 established and emerging artists whose practices explore different approaches to materials, form, and visual representation.

Connecting generations of African artists

The exhibition features works by prominent figures including Moroccan artists Malika Agueznay, Abdellah El Hariri, and Abderrahmane Ouardane, alongside Beninese painter Ludovic Fadaïro, Burkinabe photographer Warren B. Saré, fashion designer Alphadi, and Cameroonian artist Barthélémy Toguo, who serves as patron of the inaugural edition.

Their creations will appear alongside those of eight emerging artists: Kemboury Bessane, Gabriel Dia, Fallou Diop, Djo Ilanga, Raymond-Yves Kono, Oussama Mahassine, Rachida Touijri, and Yasmina Ziyat.

Rather than presenting the established artists solely as mentors, the exhibition creates a dialogue between generations, allowing individual artistic approaches to coexist while highlighting their differences and shared concerns.

The project follows a ten-day artistic residency held in Benslimane from October 11 to 20.

During the residency, emerging artists developed new works while participating in masterclasses, discussions, and exchanges with more experienced creators.

Their resulting artworks will now be exhibited alongside those of established artists, reflecting the organizers’ ambition to encourage artistic transmission without imposing a single creative model.

Benin’s artistic scene in the spotlight

As part of the initiative, the Museum of Bank Al-Maghrib and ARKANE organized a conference titled “Focus Bénin: Regards sur la scène artistique béninoise” on October 19 at the Onomo Hotel in Rabat.

The discussion explored the evolution of Benin’s contemporary art scene, its place within the wider African cultural landscape, and opportunities for cooperation between artists across the continent.

Participants included Beninese cultural figure Ulrich Adjovi, painter Ludovic Fadaïro, photographer Warren B. Saré, ARKANE President Abderrahmane Ouardane, and Rochdi Bernoussi, Director of the Museums of Bank Al-Maghrib.

Cultural management specialist Aristide Agondanou also participated, while curator Julie Laure Abissegué moderated the discussion.

In a statement shared by the organizers, Fadaïro emphasized the importance of solidarity and cultural exchange.

“Africa gives, Africa shares, Africa unites,” he said, describing a continent whose future depends on cooperation between its people.

Saré similarly emphasized the importance of transmitting knowledge and experiences between generations, while praising Morocco’s efforts to encourage cultural exchange across Africa.

For the organizers, the exhibition offers an opportunity to strengthen relationships between African artistic communities and provide greater visibility to contemporary creative practices from the continent.

“Générations Afrique” will welcome visitors at the National Bab Rouah Gallery in Rabat through October 30, presenting the results of a collaborative initiative that connects established artistic careers with emerging voices.