A newly published book in both English and French delves into the life and works of the renowned artist Farid Belkahia, his contemporaries, and the Casablanca School of Art. This publication emerges as a significant contribution to Moroccan creativity, liberating itself from the prevailing modernity frameworks and revitalizing the flow of artistic expressions in the country, enriched by its historical context and contributing to the global artistic landscape.
The book, released by the Pompidou Center in France and the Arab Museum of Modern Art in Qatar, serves as a historical account of an exhibition dedicated to Belkahia, who passed away in 2014. This exhibition was organized by the two institutions in Paris with the support of the Farid Belkahia Foundation in Marrakech and edited by Michel Gauthier. Accompanying the insightful texts are images of Belkahia's artworks and historical photographs that explore his universe and artistic journey. An influential figure in Moroccan art education, Belkahia moved away from traditional canvas painting and sought inspiration from Moroccan materials such as copper, tanned leather, and natural pigments like henna. He rejected the artistic logic centered on a singular historical narrative produced by parts of Europe, advocating instead for a diverse exploration of human creativity.
Entitled "For a New Modernity" in English and "Pour une Modernité Autre" in French, this work serves as a readable and visual guide to the evolution of artistic creation through Belkahia's lens. It studies his journey from education and teaching to creative output, examining the impact he left on the fine arts. The book also highlights his contemporaries and the influences he drew from Morocco, North Africa, Central Africa, Czechoslovakia, the Arab world, and various regions across the globe, alongside his philosophical reflections.
Throughout the text, we encounter Belkahia's conviction after spending four years at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he sought to liberate himself from "French art." This conviction led him to decline a scholarship for studying in Rome, which was awarded to another prominent Moroccan abstract artist, Jilali Gharbaoui. Instead, he journeyed to what was deemed the "East" by the "Center" to study scenography in Prague, where he was significantly influenced by the Czech imagination, as articulated in the book.
Upon arriving in Europe and absorbing its artistic history, Belkahia's discerning eye and taste began to appreciate Moroccan art and the broader artistic styles beyond his immediate environment. Gradually, he came to believe that true modernity, contrary to Western modernist myths, does not stem from a complete rejection of traditions but rather from a process of reclaiming them.
These convictions found resonance in Belkahia's work, as he distanced himself from the conventional medium of painting, which was deemed the "highest" form of art in Western narratives. He explored unconventional material usage in contemporary artistic production and sought to understand, document, and teach the history of arts in Morocco, Africa, and the Arab-Mediterranean region. His tenure as the head of the Casablanca School of Fine Arts, where he served for twelve years between 1962 and 1974, left a profound impact on the trajectory of creative expression in the country.
The legacy of this school, nurtured by figures like Belkahia, Mohamed Mlyhi, Mohamed Chabaa, Bert Flint, and Tony Marini, was characterized by a commitment to modernity that embraced traditional crafts, which colonial aesthetics had often relegated to a mere pictorial and folkloric dimension.
The book also reflects on the symbolic emergence of the school's artistic expressions in popular spaces like Jamaa el-Fna in Marrakech and 16 November Square in Casablanca, highlighting Belkahia's ongoing use of unconventional materials in modern and contemporary art circles, often guided by academic frameworks.
Furthermore, the book offers insights into Belkahia's perspectives that significantly impacted Moroccan and global artistic expressions. His aim was to articulate "everything that touches humanity and its continuous narratives," approaching creative legacies not through mere replication but through a "critical adoption" of creativity and the energy with which he engaged with the world.
Moreover, the book chronicles Belkahia's and his contemporaries' critique of what is often referred to as "naive art" or "primitive art," which he deemed "insincere" and "of no real utility." He cautioned that proponents from the "new colonial" circles sought tastes that conformed to their preconceived notions of the world, thus promoting an art form that lacked the potential for aesthetic and spiritual development.
As reported by hespress.com.
