The collective work titled "Is there an Essaouira school?", which highlights the aspects and origins of Souiri plastic art, was recently presented in Paris. This took place during an event organised concurrently with an exhibition that continues until 2 June.

The book on Souiri art, which contains contributions from André Azoulay, Advisor to HM the King, Mickaël Faure, Director of the Franco-Moroccan Alliance of Essaouira, and Jérôme Bloch, Director of the French Institute of Marrakech, sheds light on the canvases and works of unique and self-taught artists such as Abdelaziz Baki, Ali Maimoun, and Mohamed Tabal.

The book questions the relevance of calling the artistic movement an "school", whose promoters are artists who never studied in fine arts academies, but who have demonstrated great talent and a remarkable creative sense, coupled with an unparalleled spontaneity in expression. Or are these scattered artistic works, difficult to relate to a specific school?

According to the authors of the book, the inspiration space of the three artists refers to a "total and fantastic, phantasmagorical universe, made of figures, imaginary creatures, half-human, half-animal. Enigmatic creatures, in landscapes and situations that are no less so, for works where everything mingles: the human being, the animal, the plant, but also the dream, the delirium, and the intimate visions of the artist, whether they be joyful or terrifying".

It is a "production that invites one to let go, to dive into a world with a different and encompassing time, perhaps mythical. A universe where man is only one part among others of this space. A colourful and free universe, which one accesses with pleasure, voluptuousness, but also with doubt, dread, or fear".

This collective work also brings together Catherine Conil, Sylvie Brignon, and Abdelkader Mana.