Loft Art Gallery in Marrakech is currently hosting Painting in the Exercise of Art, an innovative two-part group exhibition that challenges the traditional boundaries of painting. Curated by Fatima-Zahra Lakrissa, the show explores how painting transcends its conventional forms—materially, spatially, and conceptually—to become a dynamic process that intersects with other artistic disciplines.
Opening on December 27, 2025, and running through March 15, 2026, the first chapter of the exhibition invites visitors to rethink painting as an active site of experimentation. Rather than being confined to a canvas, painting here is fluid—merging with volume, gesture, and space. The exhibit combines diverse media including installations, sculptural objects, photographic elements, and film, all contributing to a continuously evolving pictorial field. This approach reflects Lakrissa’s research into the “champ élargi” (expanded field) of painting, where the medium extends beyond its typical parameters.
Featured artists include Walid Ardhaoui, Nassim Azarzar, Mustapha Azeroual, Amina Benbouchta, Khadija El Abyad, Radia Lamrani, Elladj Lincy Deloumeaux, and Amina Rezki. Notable works include Amina Rezki’s untitled oil painting from 2025 and Khadija El Abyad’s intricately crafted piece #10, which incorporates fine strands of hair stretched between glass and paper, creating a delicate three-dimensional effect.
Looking ahead, the exhibition’s second chapter will open in February 2026, coinciding with the prestigious 1-54 Art Fair. This phase will deepen the exploration by shifting focus from traditional flat painting surfaces to sculptural and installation-based forms. It highlights how contemporary artists are redefining the spatial and sensory experience of pictorial art, moving away from the conventional frontal viewpoint toward more immersive environments.
Painting in the Exercise of Art underscores the ongoing dialogue between painting and other art forms, demonstrating the medium’s versatility and its capacity to absorb and respond to broader artistic currents in contemporary practice.
This exhibition marks an important moment in Marrakech’s cultural calendar, offering fresh perspectives on painting and encouraging audiences to engage with the medium as a living, evolving practice.
