Fez — Myriem Himmich Gallery is opening a new extension in Rabat today, marking the launch with an inauguration night from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at 8 rue Aknoul in the Hassan neighborhood.
The Rabat expansion is framed as the next step in a model the gallery has pursued since its 2022 launch: developing human-scale, city-specific spaces that move away from the classic “white cube” and instead use intimate settings to create closeness between works and audiences.
Rabat opening night and what visitors can expect
The inauguration on December 19 is paired with a collective exhibition bringing together Moroccan, African, and international artists across painting, photography, sculpture, and collage. The show is presented as a curated walk-through rather than a conventional commercial hang, with the space treated as an active part of the viewing experience.
The gallery’s choice of Rabat is described as both strategic and personal: a capital city shaped by layered histories and cultural institutions, and also a place tied to founder Myriem Himmich’s own biography, having grown up there before continuing her studies in Paris.
From Assilah to Rabat: a multi-city approach
The Rabat extension follows the gallery’s earlier expansion to Assilah on August 8, a city long associated with contemporary creation through the Moussem culturel d’Assilah, founded in 1978.
The gallery’s broader idea is to meet audiences where they are, rather than asking collectors and art publics to travel from city to city for access.
AFCON as cultural moment, not just sport
The opening exhibition is also timed with Morocco hosting AFCON, with football approached as a symbolic field where themes of body, movement, belonging, territory, and collective memory can surface. By placing contemporary artworks in conversation with a popular, shared cultural moment, the gallery is positioning the show as a bridge between art-world practice and public emotion.
Artists shown and the gallery’s wider track
The exhibitor list includes names such as Zineb Mezzour, Valérie Ohana, Bouchra El Menjra, Zineb Kabbaj, Hind Lahrichi, Jihane Hasswane, Hamid Douieb, and Abdoulaye Sow, among others.
The gallery also highlights its participation in international fairs and its inclusion-focused social program supporting artists with disabilities as part of a broader ethical approach to its role in Morocco’s contemporary art ecosystem.
