The Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rabat, Morocco, is marking its 10-year anniversary, celebrating a decade of artistic milestones since opening its doors. Over the years, the museum has become a key cultural landmark in the Moroccan capital, hosting more than 35 major exhibitions featuring renowned artists such as Picasso, Delacroix, and Matisse, alongside celebrated Moroccan talent.
Chairman of the National Foundation of Museums, Mehdi Kotbi, reflected on the museum’s growth, noting, “Even in my wildest dreams, I could not have imagined that we would have been able to organise exhibitions of such huge and important artists such as Picasso, Delacroix, Matisse.”
With more exhibitions in the pipeline, the Mohammed VI museum continues to establish itself as an important platform for modern and contemporary art in the Arab and African worlds.
The anniversary celebrations include two large-scale installations by Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos, showcasing pieces that previously appeared at the Chateau de Versailles and London’s Royal Academy of Arts.
Portugal’s Ambassador to Morocco, Carlos Marques, praised the works’ powerful symbolism, describing the pieces as “mythical warriors, strong women” handmade by female artisans.
Currently, the museum is hosting Cobra: A Multi-Headed Snake, a retrospective of the post-WWII avant-garde movement that challenged European artistic norms through experimental uses of color and surrealist themes. Museum Director Mohammed El Idrissi said the exhibition, open until 3 March, allows visitors to delve into the artistic movement that defied the visual limitations of its time.
