Marrakech is set to welcome the most vibrant names in contemporary African art with the return of the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, from 30 January to 2 February. In the iconic spaces of La Mamounia and DaDa, more than thirty galleries from around the world will showcase artists who are redefining the global scene, from emerging talents to established figures. But the fair is just the beginning: the city is transformed into a creative epicentre with parallel exhibitions, special projects, and collaborations with institutions such as Fondation TGCC, Think Tanger and L'appartement 22, ensuring that art is not only seen, but experienced in every corner of the Medina.
Adjei Tawiah
Born in Ghana in 1987, Adjei Tawiah is one of the most interesting voices in contemporary art, fusing tradition and modernity in compositions charged with symbolism. His hallmark is his use of the nylon sponge, an everyday material that he transforms into a vehicle for purification and renewal. Through his work he explores camaraderie, friendship and family, creating universal narratives with strong Ghanaian roots. His work has resonated on the international scene with exhibitions such as I Miss Us at Opera Gallery, New York (2023) and Unlimited Il at Gallery 1957, Ghana. In 2022, he participated in Winner Takes All, curated by Amoako Boafo at Marianne Boesky Gallery. Tawiah reinterprets identity and human connection with an intense aesthetic that transcends time.
Adjei Tawiah, Off Duty, 2023. Courtesy of So Art Gallery
Malick Welli
Identity, displacement and memory are the themes that the Senegalese visual artist and photographer addresses through his spiritually and mystically charged work. His Forgotten Paradise: Passage series, created with Charlotte Brathwaite, transforms the historical trauma of the transatlantic slave trade into a healing space, exploring resilience and renewal. Using symbols such as water and flight, Malick Welli (b. 1990) invites us to reflect on collective memory, power and identity structures. His work has been exhibited internationally at venues such as the Wereldmuseum and the Dakar Biennale, opening dialogues on history, displacement and resilience.
Malick Welli, series Forgotten Paradise, 2024. Courtesy of L'Atelier 21
Amina Yahia
From Cairo, Amina Yahia (b. 2000) investigates human interaction through folklore and the systems that shape beliefs and behaviour. Her work, anchored in post- and neo-colonial Egyptian society, dissects female identity and structures of control with a crude and satirical visual language. In her large-scale paintings, the body becomes a territory of exploration, where the intimate, the violent and the ritual intertwine. She has exhibited in venues such as Menart Fair (Paris), Medrar (Cairo) and 421 (Abu Dhabi).
Amina Yahia, Untitled, 2024. Courtesy of Hunna Art
Sara Benabdallah
Through photography and film, Sara Benabdallah (b. 1995) offers a profound and evocative look at her hometown through her visual work, which pays homage to Morocco’s cultural heritage. Rooted in the historic Medina of Marrakech, her work not only documents, but creates powerful narratives that challenge patriarchal norms and amplify voices that often go unnoticed. With an artistic vision that explores resilience and strength, her images invite viewers to question social conventions and rethink new possibilities. With exhibitions at major art fairs in cities such as Copenhagen, London, New York and Abu Dhabi, Benabdallah continues to make a mark on the contemporary art world.
Sara Benabdallah, Labsa Lakbira, from Dry Land series, 2024. Courtesy of Nil Gallery
Zineb Mezzour
Between Switzerland and Morocco, data scientist-turned-artist Zineb Mezzour (b. 1996) fuses painting, ceramics, photography, and poetry to unravel the secrets of nature through her unique gaze. Fascinated by fractal structures, her work finds hidden patterns in roots, corals, and even bones, transforming them into symbols of inner peace and connection to the present. Using materials such as paper, ink and porcelain, her creations explore the intersection between science, art and the spiritual. With exhibitions at key venues such as MACAAL in Marrakech and the Myriem Himmich Gallery in Casablanca, Mezzour continues to challenge the boundaries of perception, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in a sensory experience that questions our relationship with the natural world.
Zineb Mezzour, Into Matter 1, 2024. Courtesy of Myriem Himmich Gallery
Muhcine Ennou
The self-taught Moroccan artist based in Amsterdam redefines the boundaries of contemporary art through a unique fusion of photography, CGI, sound, and film. His multidisciplinary approach, blending analogue and digital techniques, turns the everyday into extraordinary visual experiences, challenging traditional perceptions of art. Muhcine Ennou (b. 1991) explores the intersection of traditional and contemporary art forms, questioning the boundaries of visual and sensory expression. His work has been exhibited at prominent international events such as Glue (Amsterdam), DIG Shibuya (Tokyo) and Art Dubai, bringing his innovative style to a global audience and opening dialogues on social issues through his art.
Muhcine Ennou, Desertisme, 2024. Courtesy of CDA Gallery
Kevin Kabambi
Kevin Kabambi (b. 1999) explores Congolese identity through photography, video and archive, confronting the weight of colonial legacy and its traces in culture. From Lubumbashi, his practice connects past and present, questioning the transformation and loss imposed by history. His work, exhibited at the Bamako Biennial of Photography, the Bucaramanga Biennial and In Corpus Festival, opens a dialogue on memory, heritage and resistance in post-colonial Congo.
Kevin Kabambi, Untitled, 2024. Courtesy of Bamako Photography Biennial
Samy Snoussi
Multidisciplinary and dyslexic artist Samy Snoussi https://www.instagram.com/samygsnoussi/ (b. 1993) creates a universal language through his global experiences. Fusing photography, sculpture and murals, the artist transforms public spaces and explores unity and introspection. His line-based aesthetic continues to evolve as he experiments with techniques, materials and formats, from wood to body art. His work, which promotes reflection and positivity, has been exhibited internationally. Recent exhibitions include Group Show I XYZ in Casablanca and Group Show I Amur Yakus in Marrakech, both in 2024.
Samy Snoussi, Untitled, 2024. Courtesy of Loft Art Gallery
Samuel Nnorom
Trained in sculpture, Samuel Nnorom (b. 1990) explores in his work the daily struggles for survival using Ankara cloth as his primary medium. This fabric, full of vibrant patterns and rich in history, symbolises both everyday life and the uncertain origins of African culture. With a practice that intertwines the everyday with the symbolic, the Nigerian artist has been part of prestigious international programmes and residencies such as the Royal Over-Seas League and the Shonibare Art Foundation, standing out on the global art scene with his unique take on African identity and culture.
Samuel Nnorom, Spicing the Reality, 2024. Courtesy of Primo Marella Gallery
Dina Nur Satti
The artist and ceramic designer with roots in Sudan and Somalia finds in clay a medium for exploring purpose, cultural memory, and ritual. Trained in cross-cultural studies between Africa and the Middle East, her practice fuses design and spirituality, investigating how objects elevate the human experience. Dina Nur Satti https://www.instagram.com/dinanursatti/ (b. 1987) travels the African continent, from Morocco to Ethiopia, connecting with communities that preserve ancestral methods of craft. For Satti, ceramics is more than form and matter: it is a container of shared histories, transitions and connections.
Dina Nur Satti, Shendi, 2024. Courtesy of Destinee Ross-Sutton Gallery
