Morocco’s Fondation Nationale des Musées (FNM) and the Île-de-France Region gathered at the at the Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rabat, Morocco last month to sign a declaration of intent for a partnership. Signed by FNM President Mehdi Qotbi and Île-de-France Regional Council President Valérie Pécresse, the agreement outlines plans for the major inaugural Mediterranean exhibition, which will coincide with the opening of the Cité de la Culture Africaine – Musée du Continent.
Following this collaboration, Morocco and the Île-de-France Region have committed to developing their cooperation further through concrete initiatives. These include sharing expertise in the conservation and acquisition of contemporary African art, implementing educational programs tailored to the future museum’s visitors as well as arranging loans from the Île-de-France Regional Fund for Contemporary Art (Frac) collection. Speaking at the event, Qotbi emphasised Morocco’s key role as a gateway to Africa and a bridge connecting Africans to Europe.
Describing art and culture as the best bridges and gateways for mutual understanding, the FNM President said he was pleased to welcome Pécresse, who had come to explore Morocco’s artistic wealth and learn more about FNM’s plans for Africa. For her part, Pécresse noted that nearly one million residents of Île-de-France have ties to Morocco, enriching the region’s cultural, artistic and economic life. She also pointed out that two Franco-Moroccan vice presidents currently serve on her executive team.
The signing ceremony was preceded by a tour of the Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, where Pécresse, accompanied by a delegation from the Île-de-France Regional Council, explored works by French-Moroccan writer, poet and painter Tahar Ben Jelloun, alongside pieces by contemporary Moroccan artists.
This institution aims to highlight the diversity and richness of African visual culture, deepening public appreciation in both Europe and North Africa with the key areas of collaboration being: Art Conservation and Acquisition where there will be joint efforts in preserving and expanding collections of contemporary African artworks; Educational Programs which includes the development of educational resources to promote knowledge of African art history and practice; as well as Art Loans which will include cross-institutional exchange of artworks, including pieces from the Île-de-France Frac Collection. More than bridging continents through art, this potential partnership will honour contemporary Moroccan talent.
