Since its inception in 2018, the Marrakech edition of the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair has played a transformative role in elevating the city’s status within the global art scene. Traditionally recognized for its vibrant cultural history and tourism appeal, Marrakech is now asserting itself as a powerhouse in Africa’s contemporary art market. The fair, currently in its sixth edition, has not only attracted international collectors and institutions but has also catalyzed significant developments in Morocco’s art ecosystem, encouraging the establishment of new galleries and fostering a dynamic marketplace for African artists.
A Catalyst for Growth in the Moroccan Art Scene
Touria El Glaoui, founder of 1-54, has long advocated for Marrakech’s potential as a center for contemporary African art. “The Moroccan art market is very strong,” she emphasized ahead of the fair’s second VIP day. “Even before we started the Marrakech fair, cities like Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier, and Marrakech had strong gallery scenes.”
This assertion is supported by the growing presence of Moroccan galleries, many of which have expanded to Marrakech in response to the fair’s success. Loft Art Gallery, one of Morocco’s most prominent commercial art spaces, has participated in 1-54 Marrakech since its launch. This year, by midday on the first day, the gallery had nearly sold out its booth, with works such as Bouchra Boudoua’s wall-hung ceramic piece fetching €8,000, paintings by Nassim Azazar selling at €5,800 each, and a textile artwork by Amina Agueznay going for €15,000.
An International Platform Rooted in Africa
Though initially established in London and later expanding to New York, El Glaoui always envisioned bringing 1-54 to the African continent. Marrakech’s appeal as a tourist destination, coupled with its expanding luxury hospitality sector and burgeoning food scene, made it an ideal candidate.
“With Marrakech, it was about finding a city that could sustain the fair,” El Glaoui explained. “Artists wanted to show on the continent—there’s a pride in belonging to Africa. The core of 1-54 is about promoting and giving visibility to artists from Africa and its diaspora.”
Spread across two venues, the fair officially opened on a rainy Thursday morning. The five-star La Mamounia hotel hosts 22 of the fair’s 30 booths, while the remaining eight are situated at DaDa, a mixed-use space located a short walk from the city’s central square, Jemaa el-Fnaa. The intimate setting of La Mamounia quickly filled with collectors, curators, and art enthusiasts, underscoring the strong demand for African contemporary art.
Diverse Representation and Institutional Recognition
One of the standout moments at this year’s fair was the acquisition of Amoako Boafo’s 2021 painting Blank Stare by Tate’s Africa Acquisitions Committee Catalyst Fund for the British museum group’s permanent collection. This purchase underscores the growing institutional interest in African art and highlights Marrakech’s strategic importance in the global art ecosystem.
Tate’s commitment to African contemporary art dates back to 2012, a year before 1-54’s first London edition. “I think buying something here in Marrakech on the African continent has much more impact than doing it in London,” El Glaoui remarked. “It might encourage other institutions to follow suit.”
The fair’s representation of Moroccan artists is particularly significant, featuring both locally based and diaspora artists. At Casablanca’s Myriem Himmich Gallery, Valérie Ohana’s twin portraits of a man and a woman incorporate earthy pigments and steel wool, blending traditional and modern artistic techniques. Meanwhile, CDA Gallery presents computer-generated photographic works by Muhcine Ennou, depicting mirror-glass sculptures in imagined desert landscapes, playing with notions of illusion and reality.
A Flourishing Ecosystem of Galleries and Artists
Galleries like La Galerie 38, which expanded from Casablanca to Marrakech in 2023, use 1-54 to bridge intergenerational artistic dialogues. Their exhibition, Concrete Bridges, includes an untitled 2023 abstraction by Mohamed Hamidi, a pioneer of the Casablanca Art School movement of the 1960s and ’70s. Hamidi’s work is shown alongside contemporary Op art-inflected pieces by Younes Khourassani, highlighting a continuum in Moroccan artistic traditions.
This emphasis on intergenerational and interdisciplinary connections extends beyond La Galerie 38. At Nil Gallery’s booth, works by Abdellah El Hariri merge geometric abstraction with calligraphic influences, while African Arty Art Gallery presents a 1973 mixed-media piece by Abderraham Rahoule, further cementing the enduring legacy of Morocco’s modern art movements.
The Growing Global Reach of 1-54
With each edition, 1-54’s influence continues to expand, as seen in its increasingly diverse exhibitor list. This year, for the first time, galleries from Kuwait and Japan joined the fair. Tokyo’s Space Un, which opened its doors in April last year, made its debut at 1-54, becoming one of the first Japanese galleries exclusively dedicated to contemporary African art.
Nil Gallery’s director, Adja Ndiaye, highlighted Marrakech’s growing importance on the continent’s art map. “Marrakech is becoming one of the most important cities in Africa for contemporary art,” she said. This sentiment is echoed by Nil Gallery’s founder, Hugo Zeytoun, who praised Morocco’s strong collecting culture and artistic vibrancy. “There’s a feeling that you’re part of something exciting happening here—the birth of an ecosystem.”
A Bright Future for Marrakech’s Art Scene
The 1-54 Art Fair has undoubtedly positioned Marrakech as a premier destination for African contemporary art. Beyond the fair itself, the city’s evolving art infrastructure, bolstered by new galleries and increasing institutional engagement, ensures that this momentum will continue. As collectors, curators, and artists increasingly turn their attention to Morocco, Marrakech’s role as a cultural leader in Africa is becoming undeniable.
With its unique blend of historical richness and contemporary innovation, Marrakech is not just hosting an art fair—it is shaping the future of African art.
