“One life, one work” is the title of the exhibition dedicated to contemporary artist Mustapha Hafid, scheduled from November 28 at Galerie 38 in Casablanca. It presents a selection of his major works from 1960 to the present day
The artist Mustapha Hafid is one of the eminent figures of modern Moroccan art. Over the decades, he has explored color, shape, and emotion through a visual language that transcends cultural boundaries. In this context, this artist returns to the city of Casablanca and presents a major retrospective entitled “Une vie, une oeuvre” at Galerie 38. An exhibition which highlights his career, whose powerful abstraction and bold palette have redefined his Moroccan plastic expression since the 1960s.
Indeed, “A life, a work” immerses spectators in the introspective and colorful universe of the artist where chromatism becomes pure expression and conveys deep emotions. For the artist, color is not a simple reproduction of reality, but a revelation of inner worlds. The exhibition presents a selection of his major works from 1960 to the present day. It shows vibrant creations inviting us to see beyond the visible, to feel the energy and sensitivity of the artist in the face of the world. His approach, which refuses the limitations imposed by academic styles, offers a freedom which calls for the personal interpretation of each spectator.
It must be said that Mustapha Hafid is marked by European influences, notably Fauvism and Expressionism. He has developed a work that is profoundly Moroccan and universal at the same time. His years of training in Poland, at the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts, his work at the Casablanca School of Fine Arts as professor and director, and his role in the founding of modern art Moroccan make him a key figure in the history of art in Morocco. He entered with distinction the Casablanca School of Fine Arts in 1958, then dominated by an academic pedagogy and a majority European presence. During his three years of training, Hafid became passionate about drawing, which he considers to be the essential foundation of all artistic creation. He quickly distinguished himself by his talent.
Diligently attending Verdi’s observational drawing and life model drawing workshops, as well as plaster and sketching classes taught by Michel Courteaux. His mastery of painting was refined under the tutelage of Félix Bellenot and he was introduced to the field of posters by Monsieur Cheneau. His career illustrates the capacity of Moroccan artists to appropriate global artistic trends while contributing to a singular modernity, deeply anchored in their own culture. Through his work and his commitment, Hafid remains an essential figure in contemporary art, having participated in redefining the contours of art history in Morocco and beyond.
