By Nii B. Andrews.
The Comptoir des Mines Gallery (CMG) is a striking architectural edifice that anchors an important, vibrant section of Gueliz in Marrakech – the ancient African city of a thousand BEAUTY FULL dreams.
It is impossible to miss the exterior of this elegantly refurbished art deco masterpiece and the aesthetic delights get even better once you enter the building.
Happily, it is barely 50m from our lair.
The tasteful restoration features the original doors, balustrades of the imposing sculptural oval three storey high stairwell; the immaculately polished terrazzo floors and wall accents paired with the high ceilings.
The lush roof garden is an inspiring finale that also affords the visitor the dual advantage of an elysium while savoring the engaging city scape and majestic sunsets.
And without fail, the art on offer has always been superlative since the gallery’s inauguration six years ago.
Hicham Dauodi – the consummate professional and indefatigable CMG Founder explains:
“The CMG has, since its creation, wanted to be part of the great social and artistic movements of its time to afford many artists a realisation of ambitious projects or large-scale exhibitions that would show the plurality of opinions and practices in Morocco”.
CMG has been successful and gained international recognition as an important artistic space and institution.
MOHAMED AREDJAL.
As a prelude to the upcoming season CMG will feature from September 13 to 23 an exhibition in Casablanca – The “Comptoir des Mines Hors les Murs” that will present the highlights of its previous season and unveil research by Mohammed Kacimi, Fatiha Zemmouri, Simmohamed Fettaka, Mohamed Arejdal, Khadija Jayi, Loutfi Souidi, Réda Boudina and Mustapha Akrim.
The objective of the exhibition will be “to bring audiences closer to the subjects and individual practices of each of these artists, and to convey the spirit of our art space to those who do not yet know it.”
MOHAMMED KACIMI
The Gallery will return to its Marrakech home base with a powerful must see line up of exhibitions scheduled for the rest of this year into the next.
Mouhcine Rahaoui will exhibit in October, Yasmina Alaoui in November; then Mustapha Akrim in December through to January 2023; Hassan Darsi in February and March and Diadji Diop in May and June 2023.
Art lovers visiting the Red City and residents can look forward with excitement to the programs.
SIMMOHAMED FATTEKA.
Adjacent to the CMG and forming an integral part of it, is the Hangar – a huge industrial style space that can accommodate monumental work or complex installations.
In addition, CMG runs a visionary independent program that emphasizes new or fresh areas of artistic concern and production for Moroccan and other African artists; it is named Majaz.
All told CMG is carrying on diligently with the centuries old tradition of the Red City as a vibrant location for disciplined enquiry, inclusiveness and excellent artistic expression.
The Hangar at the CMG.
