Writing Art History Since 2002

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The 5th International Biennale of Casablanca is entitled ‘Words Create Images (Les Mots Créent des Images)’. The theme is inspired by the work of South African photographer George Hallett (1942-2020) and the thinking behind the images he created for the compelling book covers of the African Writers Series published by British publisher Heinemann.

Alice Mann, Drummies. Courtesy of the artist.
Alice Mann, Drummies. Courtesy of the artist.

The link between African literature and creative processes will unfold in Casablanca, giving way to the imaginary and narratives informing contemporary artistic creation. The biennale will focus on text, word, signs, codes, language, through visual and performative manifestations. It will also question the ways in which language influences the systems of thought and, by extension, the discourse and interpretation of a work of art.

In response to these orientations, the 5th International Biennale of Casablanca will include existing and newly created works, by established and emerging Moroccan and international artists.

The Biennale exhibitions will take place at the American Arts Center, BIC Project Space and SoArt Gallery.

The International Biennale of Casablanca is curated by artistic director Christine Eyene with associate curators: Juste Constant Onana Amougui (Cameroon), Selma Naguib (Morocco) and Patrick Nzazi (Democratic Republic of Congo/France).

Each site of the Biennial is conceived both as an exhibition space and as a space for dialogue between the artists and the public, thus reinforcing the dynamics initiated during the previous editions aiming at positioning Casablanca as a platform for artistic exchanges inscribed in its local context and open to the world. The development of international, but also national and especially local partnerships contributes to making the BIC a widely open and inclusive space, which can benefit the artistic scene and Casablanca and Moroccan society.

A first collaboration with Montpellier Contemporain-MO.CO.

Following the partnership between the International Biennial of Casablanca and Montpellier Contemporain-MO.CO, six laureates from the Montpellier School of Fine Arts will be in residence in Casablanca, during the Biennial, as part of the international residency and research programme Season 6 Volume 2. The White City is the last stage of this programme which began at the Venice Biennale and continued at Documenta 15 in Kassel. In Casablanca, as for each of their residencies, the stay of the beneficiaries of this programme, Paul Dubois, Alice Fleury, Clémentine Poirier, Gaétan Vaguelsy, Pierre Perres and Marie Boutevin, will be divided into two sequences: a first period of professional immersion during the preparation of the Biennial (working with the artists, the curator and the organising team of the event), then a second period allowing for the elaboration of an exhibition project. The six resident artists will thus take advantage of the specific context of each city and each event to develop a reflection and exchanges with the network they met during their stay.

Part 1 of the Biennale will be taking place from the 17th of November until the 17th of December 2022. For more information, please visit The International Biennale of Casablanca.

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