BMW Art Guide by Independent Collectors
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MACAAL
Museum of African Contemporary Art Al Maaden in Marakkech, Morocco
Driven by a deep passion for art, Alami Lazraq, founder and CEO of the Group Alliances, began his collection of modern and contemporary art forty years ago. Sharing the same passion as his father, Othman Lazraq has expanded the collection since the creation of Foundation Alliances in 2009 and the opening of MACAAL in 2016. As the Director of Foundation Alliances and President of MACAAL, Othman Lazraq works closely with his teams and external advisors to enrich the collection.
Initially, the collection focused on the works of pioneering Moroccan artists before broadening its scope to include other influences, particularly from Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Today, it includes works from nearly three hundred artists. It mainly consists of works by prominent Moroccan artists as well as artists from across the African continent. The collection covers a wide range of mediums, including painting, sculpture, and more recently, photography, installation, and digital arts.
The museum’s collection illustrates the Foundation Alliances’ commitment to providing universally accessible contemporary art, while supporting cultural development in Morocco. It comprises more than 2,000 Moroccan and international works, including pieces by some of the most renowned Moroccan artists such as Farid Belkahia, Ahmed Cherkaoui, Jilali Gharbaoui, Mohamed Melehi, and Chaïbia Talal. It also includes major artists from the African continent like Chéri Samba, Romuald Hazoumè, Joël Andrianomearisoa, Abdoulaye Konaté, Serge Attukwei Clottey, and Billie Zangewa, as well as artists from the Maghreb art scene, such as Meriem Bouderbala, Rafik El Kamel, Adel El Siwi, and Djamel Tatah.
