When it comes to Morocco's creative scene, seldom do our eyes look beyond Marrakech, Casablanca and Tangiers. Our list of the most exciting contemporary Moroccan artists criss-crosses the North African nation, from Taroudant in South Morocco and Beni Meal, a small city at the foot of Jbel Tassemit, to Oujda, a city in northeast Morocco, near the Algerian border.
Morocco has historically been known to inspire creatives; international powerhouses, including Eugène Delacroix, Henri Matisse and Yves Saint Laurent, were all famously captivated by the country. And whilst time and opportunity were kind to foreign creatives, forging a path as a Moroccan artist has proven a slightly harder feat. Traditionally, both resources and exposure were difficult to come by. Luckily, some wider cultural shifts have occurred over the last decade. Openings, such as the Mohamed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in 2014 and the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, have brought new life to the scene. As focus shifts towards local creatives, a plethora of eager and deserving local creatives have stepped into the limelight. Ranging from comic strip geniuses to impressionist-inspired painters, here are the eleven Moroccan artists to have on your radar.
Zainab Fasiki
Born in 1994 in Fez, Morocco, Zainab Fasiki started her career as a comic book author in 2017. Her quirky illustrations, often championing women’s rights and political equality, soon gained traction on social media. By 2018, Zainab had received the Amnesty International Prize for Women’s Rights and founded her own feminist art collective, WOMEN POWER, which hosts art workshops for girls from working-class backgrounds in Casablanca. Zainab’s latest comic book, MADAME HARAM, was released on the 5th of February 2025, highlighting the marriage of underage girls in Moroccan villages. @zainab_fasiki
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Mouhcine Rahaoui
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After graduating from the Tetouan School of Fine Arts in 2017, Mouhcine Rahaoui set about depicting the experience and history of miners in the region, particularly in his home town of Jerada, Morocco. His work now immerses the viewer into the artist's memory and relationship to his home town, often questioning the absurdity of life and its unreasonable, unfair nature. Rahaoui's work has been the subject of two solo exhibitions: one at the Comptoir des Mines Gallery in Marrakech in 2022 and the other at AFIKARIS Gallery in 2024. @mouhcinerahaoui
Omar Mahfoudi
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Originally from Tangier, Omar Mahfoudi made a name for himself through his distinct mysterious and distorted portraiture pieces. After moving to Paris, he began incorporating more landscapes, realism, and fantasy into his work. Notable exhibitions include ‘The Forgotten Branches’ at Galerie AFIKARIS, Paris, and ‘I was dreaming of the past’ L’Atelier 21, Casablanca. His fourth solo show, ‘Waiting for the Light to Change’ is currently being exhibited at Galerie Afikaris in Paris. omarmahfoudi.com
Serri Fatimazohra
Conceptual photographer Fatimazohra Serri was born on the northern coast of Nador. Originally an accountant, Serri started photography as a way to alleviate the depression brought on by the monotony and solitude of her desk job. Influenced by her surroundings, Serri’s work highlights how women in Morocco still face economic inequality, patriarchal laws, and taboos about their sexuality. Her photographs often feature bold depictions of Arab women in positions of power, wearing fishnet stockings, lipsticks and other adornments which may be considered ‘provocative.’ Recently, her work has been exhibited at the United Miami ArtFair, Photo London ArtFair and 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair. @fatimazohraserri
Ismail Zaidy
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Ismail Zaidy, professionally known as L4artiste, is a 27-year-old photographer born and raised in Marrakesh, Morocco. Zaidy began his journey into photography during the summer of 2017, driven largely by a desire to express his inner perspective. His work soon became known for its minimalist and abstract style, with many of his early photographs captured on a mobile phone. Zaire’s work has been exhibited at 1-54 Art Fair Marrakech, Zonamaco Mexico, and is also making waves in the NFT sphere with platforms such as SuperRare and Foundation. @l4artiste
Mo Baala
Originally from Taroudant in South Morocco, Mo Baala is a self-taught multimedia artist. Baala’s interest in traditional arts and crafts in Morocco influences his work, which uses drawing, painting, graffiti, collage and sculpture. The artist often performs poetic and musical performances alongside his installations, creating a fully immersive experience for the viewer. His most recent exhibition, ‘Under the Silver Tree’, was showcased at MCC Gallery in Sidi Ghanem, Marrakech. @mobaala
Yasmine Hatimi
Born in 1986 in Casablanca, Yasmine Hatimi left her hometown in 2004 to study cinematography and photography in Madrid. After nine years working in Spain, Haiti returned to Morocco in order to rediscover her own country through her photographic work. Now, her photos focus on young Moroccan masculinity, often incorporating dreamy romanticism and melancholy to capture the emotions of her subjects. Her work has been shown at festivals and venues such as Photo España, Photo Saint Germain, Alliance Française de Safi, Festival D’Arles, Middle East Institute in Washington DC and more. @yamsine9
Anass Ouaziz
A Moroccan artist and photographer, Anass Ouaziz resides in his hometown of Beni Meal, a small city at the foot of Jbel Tassemit. Ouaziz’s primary aim is to find beauty in the mundane, with his art capturing everyday moments and the untold stories found in them. Ethereal and surprising, his recent project, ‘An Atlas Ode’, studies the beauty of the life of Amazigh people around the Atlas Mountains. @anassouaziz
Touils
Born in , Morocco, Touils is a self-taught artist inspired by Impressionists like Monet and Van Gogh. Vibrant colours define his works, with warm and dark tones intermixed to create a striking, joyous effect. The use of pointillism, adds a certain luminosity to his works, which were recently exhibited in Contemporary Istanbul. @touiils
Amina Agueznay
Hailing from Casablanca, Amina Agueznay is a versatile multimedia artist; Agueznay studied architecture in Washington DC, trained as a jewellery designer, and also specialises in fashion and artisanal weaving. One of Agueznay’s most notable early shows was exhibited at the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris in 1999 and in 2010, the artist was awarded the prestigious Mediterranean Fashion Prize. More recently, the artist's work has been exhibited at 1-54 and the Museum of African Contemporary Art Al Maaden. aminaagueznay.com
Bouchra Boudoua
Rounding up our list of Moroccan artists to invest in, Bouchra Boudoua. After graduating from Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design with a BA in spatial design she began collaborating with local Moroccan potters to create functional and decorative ceramics. Designed with tradition in mind – the creative process is set up in order to preserve certain age-old techniques of Moroccan craftsmanship – Boudoua’s pieces also incorporate bold modern aesthetics, making them perfectly suited for adding a pop of colour to a contemporary home. bouchraboudoua.com
