Marrakech Art Fair Highlights Digital and Video Art from Arab World
The second Marrakech Art Fair, held from September 30 to October 3, 2011, at the former Bank al-Maghrib agency, featured a special exhibition titled "Images affranchies" that spotlighted digital and video art from the Arab world. While the main fair focused on static works like painting and photography, this exhibition showcased eighteen artists, many trained in Europe and the United States, presenting video and photography that explore identity and transgression. Notable works included Amal Kenawy's poetic hybrid of video and drawing, Youssef Nabil's short film, and photographic works by Leila Alaoui, Halim Al-Karim, Hicham Benohoud, and Mohamed El Baz. Videos by Moataz Nasr, Adel Abidin, and Younès Rahmoun used metaphors to comment on hope, fragility, and ecological conditions in the Arab context.
Key facts
- Second Marrakech Art Fair took place September 30 – October 3, 2011.
- Venue: former Bank al-Maghrib agency in Marrakech, Morocco.
- Exhibition 'Images affranchies' focused on digital and video art.
- 18 artists from the Arab world were featured.
- Artists included Amal Kenawy, Youssef Nabil, Leila Alaoui, Halim Al-Karim, Hicham Benohoud, Mohamed El Baz, Moataz Nasr, Adel Abidin, Younès Rahmoun.
- Works addressed identity, transgression, and collective hope.
- Moataz Nasr's video used a pita bread as a metaphor for fragile hope.
- Adel Abidin's animation showed a cow on a collapsed bridge.
- Younès Rahmoun's digital seed required optimal conditions to germinate.
- The exhibition aimed to introduce video art to Moroccan audiences.
Entities
Artists
- Amal Kenawy
- Youssef Nabil
- Leila Alaoui
- Halim Al-Karim
- Hicham Benohoud
- Mohamed El Baz
- Moataz Nasr
- Adel Abidin
- Younès Rahmoun
Institutions
- Marrakech Art Fair
- Bank al-Maghrib
Locations
- Marrakech
- Morocco
Sources
- artpress —