Othman Lazraq explains MACAAL’s vision for African art in Marrakech

With significant support from Fondation Alliances, Morocco’s MACAAL (Musuem of African Contemporary Art Al Maaden) has undergone a major overhaul – providing a permanent home for one of the world’s most comprehensive collections of contemporary African art. 

The new show, ‘Seven Contours, One Collection’, is the museum’s first permanent exhibition, featuring more than 150 artworks by acclaimed established and emerging artists such as Salah Elmur, Hassan Hajjaj and Abdoulaye Konaté, to name just a few.

The works – spanning paintings, sculptures, textiles, photography, installations, and multimedia pieces, and also featuring Moroccan modernist pioneers – are drawn from a collection amassed by the Lazraq family over four decades. 

In addition to providing a rich exploration of African creativity from the past century to the present, ‘Seven Contours, One Collection’ – curated by Morad Montazami and Madeleine de Colnet in collaboration with MACAAL’s Artistic Director, Meriem Berrada – gives serious pause for thought. This is owed, not least, to its structure. The show is organised into themed galleries, each with a poignant verb as its title: decolonise, cohabit, initiate, transcribe, converge, promise and weave.

In addition to the permanent display, MACAAL now includes new spaces dedicated to site-specific installations, a media library, and enhanced public and gallery areas, reinforcing the museum’s role as a global platform for African art. 

Othman Lazraq spoke to Euronews Culture about the vision behind these developments, the cultural significance of the museum’s transformation, and its commitment to making African art more accessible.

Euronews Culture: What kind of transformations to the space have taken place, and why the decision to open MACAAL’s first-ever permanent exhibition?

Othman Lazraq: Since its creation in 2016, MACAAL has become a dynamic cultural hub dedicated to promoting African arts. Its recent 18-month transformation reinforces our commitment to enriching the visitor experience and strengthening our educational mission.

The launch of MACAAL’s first permanent exhibition responds to growing public demand for greater access to our collection. Showcasing pieces collected over decades, this exhibition captures the richness of contemporary African art and ensures its accessibility to a wider audience. 

What was the idea behind organising ‘Seven Contours, One Collection’ into thematic galleries? How do you think the new exhibition might expand (or even challenge) visitors’ understanding/perception of the arc of African contemporary art?

‘Seven Contours, One Collection’ was designed to go beyond conventional perceptions of African art. The thematic gallery structure highlights the richness and complexity of contemporary African creativity, encompassing a vast diversity of countries, artistic expressions, and cultural legacies. This approach provides visitors with multiple perspectives, drawing connections between Africa’s cultural, political, and historical realities and their global resonance.

The collaboration with Morad Montazami and Madeleine de Colnet from Zamân Books & Curating has led to an innovative curation of works around key themes such as decolonisation and the environment. This structure encourages visitors to rethink their perception of contemporary African art, exploring how artists engage with and interpret these crucial issues of our time.

Each gallery also features author videos, where experts provide insightful commentary and analysis. These perspectives offer visitors a more nuanced understanding of the works, encouraging them to develop their own critical approach to contemporary African art.

How has the approach to building MACAAL’s collection evolved over the years, and how does it reflect the dynamic nature of contemporary African art?

Our collection has grown organically, evolving in step with the ever-changing landscape of contemporary African art. Over 40 years ago, my father, Alami Lazraq, began this collection with a focus on the pioneers of Moroccan art, such as Farid Belkahia, Ahmed Cherkaoui, and Jilali Gharbaoui.

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Continuing his commitment, I have been dedicated to expanding the collection, first through the establishment of Fondation Alliances in 2009, and later with the opening of MACAAL in 2016. From the outset, my ambition has been to shape the collection into a vibrant reflection of the diversity, fluidity, and dynamism of contemporary African art.

Initially rooted in Moroccan artistic movements, the collection gradually embraced a pan-African and international perspective. We have brought together works by leading figures from across the continent, such as Chéri Samba, Baya Mahieddine, and Billie Zangewa, while also incorporating artists from Asia, Latin America, and other international art scenes. This expansion reflects our commitment to celebrating the richness of transcontinental artistic dialogues and presenting a broader, evolving vision of African art today.

The museum’s new digital archive is a significant initiative! How do you see digital resources complementing the physical experience of the museum?

We’re very excited about this initiative. It expands the range of work we can share with audiences and, in particular, we hope it will serve as a valuable resource for students, scholars and academics. The archive will comprise video, digital, sound, and performance art by African artists from the 1990s to today, so it’s an important part of building and preserving the legacy of African art – to connect audiences with their artistic heritage.

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As one of the most comprehensive collections of contemporary African art in the world, how do you balance the representation of different generations of artists and different mediums?

Our collection reflects a progressive and ambitious vision, rooted in a family legacy and a renewed perspective on contemporary African art.

My father initially built a remarkable collection focused on modern Moroccan artists […] When I took over Fondation Alliances, I sought to expand this approach by embracing a more open and forward-thinking dynamic, with a special emphasis on emerging contemporary artists.

A key turning point was the introduction of photography, which deliberately broadened the collection’s scope. The acquisition of Leila Alaoui’s works marked this shift, opening the way for a more expansive and inclusive approach. Over time, we gradually incorporated other mediums: textiles with Joël Andrianomearisoa, installations by Amina Agueznay and Soukaina Aziz El Idrissi and more recently, video, with the conceptual works of Josèfa Ntjam and Kapwani Kiwanga.

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Today, our goal is to maintain a subtle balance between generations of artists and diverse mediums. By bringing together established modernist figures like Fouad Bellamine with rising talents such as Rahma Lhoussig, we foster a rich and dynamic dialogue. This approach transcends generational and stylistic boundaries, offering an evolving and panoramic vision of contemporary African art.

In your view, what are the most pressing challenges that contemporary African artists face today, and how does MACAAL support them, not just through exhibitions but also through initiatives like residencies and educational programming?

One of the most pressing challenges contemporary African artists face today is visibility – both within the continent and on the global stage. Many artists struggle with limited access to institutional support, funding and international networks. That’s one of the reasons that we launched the new site-specific installation programme in the museum, to give artists an opportunity to create ambitious works that they wouldn’t have the scope or support to produce elsewhere.

Similarly, the new Artist Room ensures we can still support contemporary artists through a temporary exhibition programme; our current show of Sara Ouhaddou was developed in collaboration with ifa Gallery Berlin, which again helps to build cross-cultural ties and networks that contribute to their artistic development.

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Marrakech has long been seen as an important cultural hub. How do you think MACAAL fits into the larger cultural ecosystem of the city, and how do you hope the museum will continue to shape Marrakech’s identity as a global arts destination?

I think MACAAL has a really unique place in Marrakech’s arts ecosystem. The city has some fantastic art galleries, and of course, the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, which attracts more international visitors every year. But what sets MACAAL apart is that it’s here for the public – not just collectors. It’s a permanent space where people can engage with a whole spectrum of contemporary African artists and feel a deeper sense of the city’s cultural and artistic heritage. 

Marrakech has always been a meeting point for different cultures, and we see MACAAL as a gateway – not just to the local art scene, but to contemporary African art more broadly. As one of the few institutions on the continent dedicated to this, we’re in a special position to foster dialogue and exchange. Our goal is to offer a space where artists, curators, and audiences from around the world can converge, while continuing to elevate contemporary African art on the global stage.

How do you ensure that MACAAL’s exhibitions remain accessible to a broad audience, both from an educational standpoint and in terms of the physical space? 

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This is an extremely important principle of the museum – we make sure MACAAL is welcoming to all. Over the years we’ve developed various programmes to engage local and new visitors – for example, each week, we host school groups and NGOs for educational tours and workshops, which help create a deeper connection to the artists and their work. We also organise Couscous Friday every month which brings people of all different backgrounds to the museum – museum directors, curators, local people. The events are important for building community and democratising the space of the museum. We also regularly hold talks and discussions – we want to bring different voices, conversations and ideas to the fore.

MACAAL is dedicated to being a dynamic platform for African art on the global stage. In light of the ongoing debates around the decolonisation of art institutions, how do you think MACAAL can further contribute to a rethinking of the global art ecosystem, and what role do you see African institutions playing in this process?

At MACAAL, we strive to restore African art to its rightful place, within its own context, far from colonial narratives. Through exhibitions such as ‘Seven Contours, One Collection’, we explore the evolution of the continent’s art while grounding it in its cultural and social realities. In the room dedicated to decolonisation, the writer, filmmaker, and theorist Ariella Aïsha Azoulay offers a thought-provoking reflection on this process and its global impact.

MACAAL is not merely an exhibition space but a platform that challenges traditional narratives to promote more inclusive and authentic art. African institutions play a crucial role in valuing local practices and rewriting the history of art. A powerful example of this dynamic is the restitution of Benin’s cultural artefacts, when, in 2021, the Beninese government successfully reclaimed 26 artefacts from France, marking a significant step in the country’s efforts to restore its cultural heritage. This act highlights the essential role African institutions play in rebalancing cultural exchanges and asserting a more diverse and just global vision of art.

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MACAAL opened to the public on 2 February 2025. Find out more here.