The Museum of African Contemporary Art Al Maaden (Macaal) in Marrakech is set to reopen on February 2, unveiling a semi-permanent exhibition of 150 works from the Lazraq family’s 2,500-piece collection. Curated by artistic director Meriem Berrada, the exhibition—titled Seven Contours, One Collection—challenges reductive stereotypes, featuring diverse media from artists across Africa. Highlights include works by Malian photographer Malick Sidibé, Moroccan painter Ahmed Cherkaoui, and Ghanaian artist Serge Attukwei Clottey. The museum, founded by Othman Lazraq in 2016, aims to democratize access to art, engaging local communities through cultural programs. Macaal embraces an organic approach to African art’s plurality, rejecting rigid categorizations, unlike Western-dominated narratives. With increasing private art institutions across Africa, Macaal’s revival signals a broader movement to celebrate and redefine the continent’s artistic heritage on its own terms.
Source: The Guardian
