International Academic Forum for Visual Arts in Mohammedia: An Artistic Approach Open to Current Transformations
Amid the rapid transformations in the cultural and artistic landscape both locally and internationally, and in response to the growing need to rethink the role of the artist within contemporary society, the "Art Wave" Association is organizing the first edition of the International Academic Forum for Visual Arts in Mohammedia from July 4 to 8, 2025. This event is part of an intellectual and training initiative aimed at blending creative dimensions with research challenges, while being open to the specificities of urban and heritage spaces in Morocco.
Forum Vision: Expressions of Contemporary Art Facing Changes
The program includes a collective exhibition featuring more than thirty artists from brotherly and friendly countries, including Germany, Sweden, France, Tunisia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Iraq, Lebanon, in addition to Morocco as the host country. Creative training workshops and intellectual seminars will highlight issues and transformations within visual art in the context of social, cultural, and economic changes. The forum aims to establish a dialogue space that brings together artists and researchers, enhancing opportunities for project exchange and expanding academic and creative networks, in line with principles of critical thinking and in-depth artistic research.
Forum Program: Between Artistic Practice and Cultural Openness
The forum activities will commence on Friday, July 4, with an official reception for guests at the Avanti Hotel in Mohammedia, featuring an artistic evening blending traditional Moroccan rhythms with social interactions among participants, embodying the fusion of authenticity and contemporary creativity.
On Saturday, July 5, a painting workshop will be held at the Mohammedia Corniche, linking artistic action with the aesthetics of public space, followed by an exploratory program that includes visits to landmarks in Casablanca, primarily the Hassan II Mosque, the Habous district, and Ain Diab beach, reflecting the interaction between artistic creativity and urban identity.
Art and Heritage at the Core of Activities
On Sunday, July 6, a seminar titled "Global Artistic Visions and Transformations" will be organized, featuring several critics and researchers, including Bniouns Amiraouch, Hassan Naraiss, Mustafa Al-Ghazlani, and Abdullah Al-Sheikh. Afterward, participants will head to Rabat to visit the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, and the Hassan Tower, emphasizing the relationship between art and national memory, followed by a tour of traditional markets and dinner in Salé, reinforcing the forum’s tourism aspect and cultural diversity.
Recognition of Creators and Integration of the Arts
The program will continue on Monday, July 7, with a visit to the historical Kasbah, followed by a meeting with Moroccan artist Abdelwahab Doukkali, a prominent figure in national music with humanitarian dimensions. The day will conclude with an artistic ceremony honoring distinguished figures, including Dr. Thuraya Rashid, Dean of the College of Arts in Sabratha, Libya, Lebanese artist Majeda Nasr El-Din, and art researcher and critic Dr. Abdullah Al-Sheikh, in recognition of their academic and creative contributions.
Closing Moment: Art as a Catalyst for Knowledge and Communication
On Tuesday morning, July 8, certificates and memorabilia will be distributed to participants, celebrating days of fieldwork, academic discussion, and artistic and cultural interaction, in harmony with the association’s philosophy of promoting artistic training and cultural openness.
Bouchra Kdari, the forum director, believes that this event transcends its traditional artistic dimension to raise fundamental questions about the place of visual arts amid current transformations, utilizing the spaces of Moroccan cities as open exhibitions, and seeking to establish a critical dynamic that reinstates art as a key player in building awareness and expanding cultural and academic exchanges.
