Rabat - Moroccan painter Amal Lahlou held an exhibition on February 11 at the Korean embassy in Rabat to shed light on the decades-long cordial relations between Morocco and Korea through her artworks.

Moroccan Artist Outlines Morocco-Korea Ties in ‘Colors of the World’ Exhibition

Rabat – Moroccan painter Amal Lahlou held an exhibition on February 11 at the Korean embassy in Rabat to shed light on the decades-long cordial relations between Morocco and Korea through her artworks.

Themed “Les Couleurs du monde – Colors of the world –,” Lahlou’s exhibition is the first event that inaugurates the commemoration of the sexagennial (60th) anniversary of Morocco-Korea diplomatic relations.

In an interview with Morocco World News, the Moroccan painter recalled her special ties with the East Asian country. As the spouse of the late Mohammed Chraibi, former Moroccan ambassador in Korea, Lahlou’s paintings reflect her travel journey and capture the essence of Morocco alongside the different countries she lived in.

“My exhibition has an international dimension. My paintings reflect my time in Venice, Fez, Marrakech, Seoul, and other places I have been to,” Lahlou noted, emphasizing that she is a self-taught artist who is fervent about art and cultures.

Speaking of her strong bond with Korea, she stressed that she held her first solo exhibition “Colors of Morocco” at Ramien Gallery in Seoul in 2014, in which she drew special attention to Moroccan culture and traditional clothing through her painting “Men with Jallaba and Turbans.”

“I felt really welcomed in Korea, people enjoyed my work. Korea has a place close to my heart,” she said.

Painting has always been a form of therapy for Lahlou, especially after the death of her husband. Through her artworks, she aims to convey cheerfulness, comfort, and inner peace.

Lahlou was also a former professor at the Sookmyung Women’s University where she introduced Korean youth to Morocco and its rich culture. Lahlou was awarded a certificate of honor for her lectures in 2013.

“I gave a conference every two months, with a focus on Moroccan women and their achievements. We have seen that Moroccan women are gradually present in every industry and I couldn’t be prouder,” Lahlou noted.

During the ceremony, Korean Ambassador to Morocco Keeyong Chung underlined that his country is “very proud of its long history of friendship with Morocco,” affirming that Morocco-Korea ties have grown stronger in the past six decades.

As the 60th celebration campaign of the bilateral relations has just begun, Ambassador Chung appears set to launch a series of events and initiatives to highlight the strategic relations between the two nations.

Commenting on Lahlou’s exhibition, the Korean diplomat noted, “Our history of exchange and the common desire for a better future, have kept our relationship thriving, and now is coming alive through the artist’s aesthetic vision.”

“Art is a very powerful medium for us to communicate and is also a way to enhance our bilateral relations,” Ambassador Chung told MWN.

Korea established its first diplomatic mission in Morocco – and the first in Africa – in 1962, recalled Afif Bennani, President of the National Order of Painters and Photographers, pointing out that Morocco’s geographical position has attracted several Korean companies ever since.

“Many Korean companies operating in construction, infrastructure, and automotive chose Morocco for their businesses,” Bennani added, stressing that the North African country is also a tourist destination for Koreans, with 40,000 visiting Morocco every year.

Regarding Lahlou’s artworks, Bennani highlighted that he was particularly attracted by how she combined the figurave and the abstract, stressing that he aims to introduce her paintings to the Academy of Arts, Sciences and Letters in France.

Moroccan-Korean relations celebrate a landmark year in 2022, as the two countries honor the 60 years of official bilateral ties.