The L’Atelier 21 art gallery presents its work at the 5th edition of the 1-54 African Contemporary Art Fair in Marrakech from February 8 to 11.

The gallery features the works of Moustapha Baïdi Oumarou from Cameroon, M’barek Bouhchichi and Mohamed El baz from Morocco, and Hamid Nii Nortey from Ghana.

L’Atelier 21 art gallery, established in 2008, is a leading venue for visual arts exhibitions in Morocco. It focuses on multidisciplinary art forms, showcasing works by Moroccan and diaspora artists, offering insights into reality through their unique blend of cultures. Atelier 21 was the first Moroccan art gallery to present its artists at international fairs in the early 2010s, demonstrating its commitment to extending the reach of Moroccan and select African artists.

Moustapha Baïdi Oumarou’s artwork is ethereal, expressing a hopeful and humane view of life and its inhabitants. It often incorporates themes of vegetation and nature, symbolizing humanity’s growing estrangement from their natural origins. Oumarou’s art celebrates the bond between humanity and the natural world, highlighting a lost connection.

M’barek Bouhchichi’s art explores the human body’s complexity, revealing the identities of dark-skinned men and women in Morocco through various mediums. His work showcases their deep engagement with their subjects through signs, fragments, and images.

Mohamed El baz, inspired by philosopher Cioran, creates a diverse body of work including installations, photomontages, performances, and sculptures, aiming to “Tinker with the incurable” by addressing the persistent challenges of a tumultuous world, blending personal and universal challenges with subversive power.

Hamid Nii Nortey, a self-taught Ghanaian artist, uses everyday life to create vibrant figurative paintings that depict Ghanaian youth in vivid colours and distinctive cross-hatching techniques. His works explore themes of youth, concerns, and glamour, blending a gentle magic.

Source: L’Atelier 21