Geneva – “Riad 38″, one of the most prominent names in contemporary art in Morocco, thanks to its art spaces in both Casablanca and Marrakech, has opened a new branch in Geneva, thus becoming the first Moroccan gallery to expand beyond the borders of the Kingdom.
“Riad 38” chose this new space, located in the “Les Bains” art district in Geneva, to be a “true bridge between the art scenes in Africa, Europe and other regions of the world”, where it organised a collective exhibition entitled “Anima Mundi”, featuring the works of four African artists: Younes Khourassani (Morocco), Soly Cissé (Senegal), Abdoulaye Konaté (Mali), and Barthélémy Toguo (Cameroon).
Fihr Kettani, co-founder of “Riad 38″, said in a statement to the Maghreb Arabe Presse agency, during the exhibition opening ceremony yesterday evening, Wednesday, that “Moroccan and African artists today offer powerful and world-class artistic expressions, and we felt it was important to display their works abroad in a permanent and continuous manner”.
For his part, Mohamed Chaoui El Faiz, co-founder of the gallery, said, “We decided, in cooperation with the Swiss art consultant, Julie Fasio, with whom we have a long-term partnership, to open an exhibition space in Geneva with the aim of introducing the city's public to Moroccan artists and strengthening the presence of Moroccan contemporary art on the international scene”.
For her part, Julie Fasio highlighted the importance of this “major event”, noting that it is “the first Moroccan gallery to open its doors abroad, specifically in Europe”.
She added that the choice of Switzerland, and the city of Geneva in particular, constitutes an important step given its position in the European art market, adding that it serves as a “gateway”, as the “Les Bains” district is full of cultural and artistic institutions such as the Ethnography Museum and the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, which are located near the gallery.
Julie Fasio is currently managing this new gallery, benefiting from her experience in European contemporary art, especially in the field of geometric abstraction, to make “Riad 38 Geneva” a meeting point for cultural influences and a space for dialogue between Africa and the West, transcending traditional cultural boundaries.
The gallery will propose a precise and diverse programme, including painting, sculpture, and photographic installation, through exhibitions that bring together emerging artists and renowned names on the global art scene.
The gallery does not seek to be just an exhibition space, but aspires to be a platform for meeting and dialogue, where aesthetic sensibilities and creative visions from different backgrounds intersect.
Based on the conviction that “art does not recognise borders”, the gallery offers a space where contemporary creation expresses itself freely, in direct interaction with the issues and aspirations of our time.
The post After Casablanca and Marrakech, “Riad 38” opens a new branch in Geneva appeared first on MAP Express.