"In Doha the other week, many people told me they were traveling onward to New Delhi for the India Art Fair, which ran February 5-9; few said they were headed to Marrakech for the similarly timed 1-54 Contemporary African Art fair. The fair has been a vital platform for Modern and contemporary African art since it launched in London in 2013. Yet this year's Marrakech edition was noticeably smaller than 2025's, with just 22 galleries, down more than 25 percent."
"The arrival of an art brand on the level of Art Basel has shifted dynamics in the region. Yasmine Berrada, the founder and director of the Marrakech outfit Loft Art Gallery, who participated in both Art Basel Qatar and 1-54, said that the two fairs were complementary: "Marrakech consolidates our presence within a rooted ecosystem, while Doha expands our reach into new transregional networks." In Doha, she showcased luminous photographs by Franco-Moroccan artist Mustapha Azeroual, priced between $47,000 and $71,000, and in Marrakech, she mounted a group presentation featuring fellow Franco-Moroccans M'hammed Kilito, Nassim Azarzar, and Mehdi-Georges Lahlou."
1-54's Marrakech edition contracted to 22 galleries, down more than 25 percent compared with 2025. The contraction coincides with Art Basel's entry into Doha, which has intensified competitive dynamics across the MENASA region. Global art firms are targeting growth in the area, increasing pressure on a nascent African market to sustain momentum. Galleries and collectors are becoming choosier about which fairs to attend amid recent economic headwinds, raising questions about the viability of participating in simultaneous fairs. Loft Art Gallery exhibited Mustapha Azeroual in Doha with works priced $47,000–$71,000 and presented group work in Marrakech by M'hammed Kilito, Nassim Azarzar, and Mehdi-Georges Lahlou.
Read at Artnet News
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