For this yr’s 1-54 Modern African Artwork honest in Marrakech, 30 galleries from all around the world arrange stands at La Mamounia, the palatial luxurious resort on the sting of the town’s chaotic medina, in addition to the artwork occasions house Dada simply off Jemaa el-Fnaa, the primary sq., which is crammed by day with meals stalls and performers catering to vacationers.
The 1-54 festivals had been established by director Touria El Glaoui, born and raised in Morocco—and the daughter of Hassan El Glaoui, one of many nation’s most celebrated trendy artists—to highlight work by African artists and the continent’s diaspora. The identify is a reference to the 54 nations in Africa. Half of the exhibitors at this version of 1-54 Marrakech are primarily based on the African continent, a better charge than is typical on the honest’s bigger and longer-running editions in London and New York.
Together with the final delicate cutting-edge market, the commerce in works by artists from Africa has taken successful the previous few years. In 2024, public sale gross sales for Fashionable and up to date African artwork fell by 8.4% based on ArtTactic, the artwork market analysis agency. Nevertheless, based on Artwork Basel and UBS’s report on the artwork market in 2023—the newest yr with obtainable related knowledge—sellers working in African markets reported “combined gross sales” and an total gross sales decline of 1%, on par with South America and higher than some particular person European nations like France and Germany.
“We have been very fortunate with 1-54 as a result of we’re so specialised and now we have a mission. The best way folks see 1-54 may be very completely different,” El Glaoui says, including that work on the honest tends to be priced extra competitively than at comparable festivals.
Galleries reported sturdy gross sales through the first day of the VIP preview on Thursday (30 January). Probably the most notable of the honest’s opening day gross sales was the announcement that the Tate in London had acquired Ghanaian artist Amoako Boafo’s Clean stare (2021) portray from Accra’s Gallery 1957 because of the establishment’s Africa Acquisitions Committee Catalyst Fund.
Amoako Boafo’s Clean stare (2021) Courtesy of Gallery 1957, ©Amoako Boafo
“Up to now, so good,” El Glaoui mentioned the morning of the VIP preview. “Now we have not been too affected by [the slower market], however I’m affected as an middleman as a result of the galleries do different worldwide artwork festivals who’re struggling. It is a bit of a state of affairs the place we get the ripple impact, as a result of they did not have good years within the different festivals.”
Marrakech’s MCC Gallery, collaborating within the honest for the primary time, reported promoting six works priced between €4,000 and €12,000 (the stand options works by the artists Amine El Gotaibi, Mo Baala, Malika Sqalli and Houda Kabbaj). Gallerie 38, additionally from Marrakech, offered three works, together with an untitled 2025 portray by Younes Khourassani for round €13,000. Paris-based Nil Gallery offered two works by Sara Benabdallah for between €3,000 and €6,000 every, and two by Abdellah El Hariri for between €2,000 and €8,000 every. Galerie Farah Fakhri, from Côte d’Ivoire, offered two mixed-media works by Charles-David Gnangoran, also referred to as Chada: a tapestry Reperes (2025) for €15,000 and Sous le soleil for €9,000. The Paris-based Galerie 208 offered an untitled sculpture by the Moroccan painter Mahi Binebine for €15,000, whereas The Bridge Gallery, additionally from Paris, reported promoting a number of works for between €3,700 and €5,000 every (the gallery’s stand options works by Mene Ange Martial and Fadekemi Ogunsanya).
Flourishing galleries in Marrakech and past
One break within the clouds of the overcast artwork market is the expansion of artwork infrastructure in Morocco. Extra industrial galleries are opening whereas Moroccan artists have gotten extra in-demand at residence in addition to abroad, sellers say. Moroccan galleries are closely represented at 1-54 Marrakech, with homegrown galleries making up one-third of the honest’s exhibitors, two extra stands than final yr.
The primary iteration of 1-54 Marrakech was held in 2018, and has been credited with serving to to invigorate the town’s artwork scene. Together with the honest’s stands, this yr’s programming incorporates up to date artwork all around the metropolis. The honest partnered with galleries in Marrakech’s upscale and trendy neighbourhood Guéliz to direct guests on an artwork stroll of native galleries and museums on Thursday night, with an unprecedented variety of concurrent night gallery openings within the metropolis, based on the honest’s organisers. El Glaoui says she’s most wanting ahead to a efficiency by Marina Abramović protégé Miles Greenberg on the ruins of the Sixteenth-century El Badi Palace, which got here collectively on the final minute.
Galleries and cultural establishments throughout the town are additionally placing on their very own occasions and openings to coincide with 1-54. Throughout Marrakech’s souk within the medina, the outdated metropolis, the Izza resort is staging a gaggle present with work by digital artists from the resort’s personal assortment together with installations by the Moroccan artists Safaa Erruas, Amina Agueznay and Amina Benbouchta. The Saturday night time celebration on the riad resort to have fun Izza’s artist residency is a sendoff for the honest week.
“I’ve all the time been tremendous stunned that Morocco is just not on the highest listing [of art destinations] simply due to the variety of residency programmes, public sale homes and galleries in each metropolis,” El Glaoui says. “It’s fixed by way of growth in every of the massive cities of Morocco. You will have galleries in Tangiers, you might have galleries in Casablanca and Rabat.”
The 1-54 Marrakech honest itself is a serious draw for each native collectors and out-of-towners, significantly from France—no shock given Morocco’s lengthy historical past as a French colony and the widespread use of the French language in nation. Wandering via the aisles on the honest’s two places, it was extra frequent to listen to conversations in French than in Arabic. By Friday morning, greater than 900 guests had entered the honest, organisers mentioned.
Founding director Touria El Glaoui through the VIP opening of 1-54 Marrakech. Courtesy 1-54
One of many Moroccan sellers collaborating within the honest for the primary time is Abla Ababou, whose eponymous up to date artwork gallery is predicated in Rabat, the nation’s capital metropolis. Her gallery usually exhibits works by Moroccan artists as a result of “they do not essentially have the identical alternatives to exhibit that European artists have”, Ababou says. For its stand at 1-54, the gallery is showcasing 4 artists who “are on the forefront of the Moroccan artwork scene”, she says, with works by Noureddine Amir, Hakim Benchekroun, Ilias Selfati and Fatiha Zemmouri priced from €2,000 to €20,000.
“There’s nice Moroccan artists within the up to date scene. Now we have loads of younger artists now, loads of Moroccans who go and work [abroad] and now have established their presence that means,” Abaou says. “We’re not that giant of a rustic, however nonetheless, you’re feeling this presence.”
Benchekroun, the youngest artist of the group, makes use of images and schematic drawings to distinction the consequences of French and Spanish colonisation with their aftermaths. Overlaying photographs of outdated buildings constructed by the colonising forces with pictures of Moroccan landscapes exhibits how reminiscence fades with decolonisation, Ababou says.
One of many buzziest stands on the honest is that of Loft Artwork Gallery, based in 2009 by sisters Myriem and Yasmine Berrada in cosmopolitan Casablanca, Morocco’s most populous metropolis and residential to many of the nation’s industrial artwork galleries. Final yr, Loft Artwork Gallery expanded with a everlasting house in Marrakech and took half in Artwork Basel Paris for the primary time.
A customer views work by Nassim Azarzar at Loft Artwork Gallery’s stand. Courtesy 1-54
“The Moroccan market has developed rather a lot, in an excellent means. After I began the gallery 16 years in the past, the market was very native,” Yasmine Berrada says. “Every little thing has modified, and there’s a actual worldwide openness. It’s crucial to place the Moroccan market within the worldwide artwork scene.”
Like Abla Ababou, Loft Artwork Gallery’s stand at 1-54 solely options works by Moroccan artists to reveal them to the honest’s worldwide clientele. The gallery is displaying works by Nassim Azarzar, Samy Snoussi, Bouchra Boudoua and Amina Agueznay. Azarzar’s work impressed by the views of lengthy Moroccan roadtrips proved significantly in style with attendees, and one offered for €5,800, based on a gallery consultant. A portray by the French-born, Casablanca-based painter Snoussi offered for €6,800. A textile hanging by Agueznay offered for €15,000. A chunk by Boudoua, who works in ceramic, offered for €8,000.
Elevated consideration on the Moroccan artwork market and the work executed by industrial galleries and establishments has inspired collectors to spend money on youthful artists, Berrada says.
“It was essential for me to point out new up to date artists for the primary time,” Berrada says. “Persons are coming from yr to yr and need to see one thing new.”
1-54 Modern African Artwork honest, Marrakech, till 2 February
