Marrakech, 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair

On the way to the 1-54 Art Fair
in Marrakech.

This is my 4^th trip to the city but still cannot get enough of it. Probably next year you will read a note from Marrakech again… or even before. J

I remember last year in February with my friends we were having tea at the terrace of La Mamounia in Marrakech and I saw a lot of people arriving to the garden. Then I learnt that a new art fair opened its doors to the public. I promised to myself to come back next year. 

Here I am in 2019, visiting the second edition of the 1-54 in Marrakech.  The name is for 1 continent and 54 countries and after London and New York Marrakech is the third city on the map.  

I read in an interview with the founder Touria El Glaoui, there are collectors who follow the art fairs in London, New York and Marrakech too.  However the Marrakech edition is attracted by a lot of French-speaking collectors.

With my friends we decided to pick only one program each day so we also had time for the city. The main exhibition and fair was at the La Mamounia, one of the most famous hotels in Morocco. Apart from the hotel the whole city was full of programs: 1-54 Forum talks, performances in various art galleries, museums and other exhibition spaces.

Closing event at the Le 18 gallery
in Marrakech.

I especially liked the closing program at the LE18 gallery in the medina. The small gallery was packed with people from all over the world. After the screening of Louis van Gasteren’s 1964 film “Jazz and Poetry” featuring poet Ted Joans and jazz musicians we have enjoyed a performance by two young artists, Soukaina Aboulaoula and Yvon Langué as a response for the film: Let’s Play something, Let’s Play Anything, Let’s Play.