Mohamed Kotiba, Moroccan master of cubism, breaks down reality to reveal its essence. Through monochromatic tones and geometric shapes, his works vibrate with a life of their own, inviting the eye on a journey between abstraction and reality. A visual legacy that reinvents movement, capturing the changing soul of Morocco
Few artists in Morocco have dared to venture into the fragmented territories of Cubism, and even fewer have been able to impose their signature there… Mohamed Kotiba, born in Casablanca in 1953, is one of these rare pioneers. Over the decades, he has traced a singular trajectory, enriching the Moroccan artistic scene with a vision which, although nourished by Braque and Picasso, was able to transcend their codes to offer a unique visual language.
From his first steps in art, Kotiba showed himself to be driven by a quest: that of breaking down reality to reveal its essence. His initial works, marked by a figurative approach to cubism, present a world in fragments, a broken mirror where each fragment captures a different truth. However, this fragmented look never descended into chaos, on the contrary, it offered an alternative reading of reality, where each angle, each shape tells a part of the collective Moroccan history.
In the following years, Kotiba refined his technique, introducing a monochromatic palette and a touch of semi-abstraction. Where others might have given in to the pure intellectualism of classical Cubism, Kotiba injects a liveliness into his compositions, almost a breath of life. His paintings, far from cold immobility, vibrate, distort, lead us into a dance where the movement is palpable. Through a subtle play of geometric shapes, his works are windows onto a changing reality, captured in its eternal movement.
Kotiba’s approach is also expressed in his choice of mediums. Moving from Indian ink to acrylic, from watercolor to mixed media, he explores a palette of expressions that allows him to weave contrasting emotions, from ethereal lightness to dramatic depth. Each of his works is an invitation to plural contemplation, where the gaze gets lost in order to find itself better.
Far beyond his death in 2016, Kotiba’s legacy continues to resonate. His compositions, acquired by collectors and prestigious institutions, remain icons of contemporary Moroccan art, and his influence can be seen in the works of young artists who today continue his cubist gesture. Kotiba not only left a mark, he forged an identity…
