Ahmed Cherkaoui, Mirrors, 1963 © Christie’s Images Ltd 2024 

PARIS – Spectres Visibles is a selling exhibition that reflects the richness of artistic creation in North Africa. The title of the exhibition evokes, on the one hand, the profusion of colours inherent to the artistic heritage of this region of the world. On the other hand, Spectres Visibles alludes to the subtle or explicit presence of references to the Maghreb in contemporary works.  

The exhibition pays tribute to the aesthetic and intellectual quest of artists who contributed to the cultural decolonization of these countries. It also traces the individual journey of a generation of contemporary artists who have conducted research related to the concepts of migration, hybridity, difference, and belonging to a region characterized by the intensity of its artistic exchanges. 

These artists have enriched and diversified the Arabic and international art scenes. Their artworks can be seen as windows into understanding the development of the Maghreb’s visual art in the modern era. Through their perspectives on land, reflections on the sacred, representations of the body, and reinterpretations of local cultural heritage, they forge a new aesthetic approach during a seminal moment: the emergence of a freshly decolonised region’s visual identity. 

Alongside these artists, there is a selection of contemporary artists. Hailing from North Africa, their unique trajectories and experiences place them in a wider global context. Whether based in North Africa, Europe, or the United States, their work deconstructs pre-existing identities by questioning new themes such as displacement, affiliation, and post-colonialism. As their artistic approaches evolve within interculturality, their work – consciously or unconsciously – embodies traces of their cultural heritage. 

Curated by Dr. Ridha Moumni, Deputy Chairman of Christie’s Middle East and North Africa, the exhibition has been conceived in collaboration with the Selma Feriani Gallery, Loft Art gallery, Galerie, Claude Lemand, and cadet capela, also including pieces from the Dalloul Art Foundation. The Spectres Visibles selling exhibition will present a selection of exceptional works ranging from painting and photography to sculpture and tapestry. These works invite us to discover the vitality and eclecticism of artistic creation in the Maghreb during modern and contemporary times. 

The exhibition features modern artists such as Malika Agueznay, Farid Belkahia, Abdallah Benanteur, Baya, Ahmed Cherkaoui, Hatem El Mekki, Jilali Gharbaoui, Mohamed Melehi, and Hassan El Glaoui, alongside contemporary artists including Amina Agueznay, Nadia Ayari, M'barek Bouhchichi, Nidhal Chamekh, Nadia Kaabi-Linke, Rachid Koraïchi, Amina Saoudi Aït Khay, Zineb Sedira, and Massinissa Selmani. 

The common thread in the work of these artists: breaking free from imposed forms in favour of an artistic language inspired by a liberated territory and its artistic heritage. As cultural actors deeply rooted in their societies, these artists have faced complex political and social dynamics. They carry a body of work that serves as a vector for multiple legacies while developing a fresh perspective on artistic practice and their own identity. 

This exhibition – the first Christie’s has dedicated to the Maghreb art scene in France – will exhibit very rare works, such as a triptych by Ahmed Cherkaoui, a pioneering figure in the Casablanca art school. The thick lines of his piece interact with each other, and refracted by vivid colours. Also featured is an early piece by Mohamed Melehi from his New York period, as well as Le Chant de l’ardent désir, a pharaoh-inspired tapestry by Rachid Koraichi, on display for the very first time.  

Other highlights from the show’s include powerful self-portraits by Rafik El Kamel and a very beautiful creation by Amina Agueznay, at the boundary of different universes such as design, fashion, and artisanal weaving techniques. A large-scale photograph by Zineb Sedira, entitled Sugar Routes II, serving as a metaphor for the history of human migration across the oceans.