In Conversation With : Morad Montazami Part 1

A series of in depth interviews with Arthur Debsi, writer and researcher at Dalloul Art Foundation where he discusses various subjects with professionals in the Arab world.

Morad Montazami – Art Historian, publisher, curator, Zamân Books & Curating director

Part 1. In 1962, Farid Belkahia (1934-2014) took the position of director of the École des Beaux-Arts in Casablanca, and formed a new pedagogical team. Part of this team, Mohamed Chebaa (1935-2013) taught at the atelier of decoration, graphic arts, and calligraphy until 1969, while Mohamed Melehi (1936-2020) was appointed head of the workshops of painting, sculpting, and photography. In the first part of the conversation, Morad Montazami explains, through archival photographs, how this new direction at the École des Beaux-Arts in Casablanca was a pivotal moment in modern Moroccan art history. In fact, the artist-teachers decided to break off with Western academism, which had been taught in the institutions in the country under the French protectorate between 1912 and 1956. The members from the ‘Group of Casablanca’ aimed to integrate popular culture and arts in their works, especially using peculiar materials such as animal skin, and copper. Thus, the artistic practice of their students highly changed, becoming more and more experimental; and demonstrated a strong sense of collectivity, seen in the displays of their exhibitions between 1964 and 1969.

Video recorded on Zoom by Arthur Debsi

Edited by Christine Labban