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.
When it comes to Morocco's creative scene, seldom do our eyes look beyond Marrakech, Casablanca and Tangiers. 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 some Moroccan artists to have on your radar.
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. Traditionally, both resources and exposure were difficult to come by.
Contemporary Moroccan Artists
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.
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Zainab Fasiki, Moroccan cartoonist.
Mouhcine Rahaoui
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.
Omar Mahfoudi
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.
Fatimazohra Serri
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.
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.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
Zaidy
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.
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Amina Agueznay
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.
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Moroccan Rap Artists
Dominating on-the-field and in the studio, Morocco has laid claim to some of the best rap coming out of North Africa over the last few years. Consistently paving paths for their ferocious melodic voice to flourish, the cultural upheaval instigated through their incredible presence during the 2022 FIFA World Cup is a mere glimpse into what Morocco has to offer. In a scene overly saturated with rappers from across the region, the country’s leading artists have sliced through the haze to pioneer a sound that is both true to them and the cities that birthed them. Catalysing a new wave of experimental music in the process, this compiled list of power-house artists showcases people who continuously utilise rap as a means of expression while staying on top of their rap game (pun intended).
- Tagne: A Moroccan rapper of Cameroonian descent, Tagne released his first single, ‘BLAN’ in 2017, which catapulted him to YouTube stardom. The rapper has since released multiple singles and albums, including ‘Moroccan Dream’ and ‘Jackpot’.
- Snor: With no digital footprint in sight - beyond his musical presence - Snor’s anonymity precedes him. Better known for his eerie take on trap music, the artist’s reverberated vocals, especially throughout his post-hiatus single ‘HKAYA’, established him as a mysterious force to be reckoned with.
- Madd: The 23-year-old rapper on the rise followed in his successful sibling’s footsteps (Small X) and released an instant YouTube hit, ‘3310’. The young rapper’s debut album ‘Black Rose’ features a plethora of artists, including, Lacrim, Laylow, Xcep and Youv Dee and is interspersed with lyrical ebbs and flow that work to mimic a tumultuous love affair.
- 7ari: Having worked alongside Italian singer Sfera Ebbasata and Japanese American DJ Steve Aoki, 7ari is the Moroccan rapper making international strides. Whilst the national team are sprawling across Qatari football arenas in pursuit of personal and nationwide progress, 7ari is tearing through westerns airwaves with singles like ‘3AYM’, ‘hasta la vista’ and his most recent release, ‘Ken Sasaki’.
- Issam: Issam Harris - better known as Issam - is a Casablanca-born songwriter and trap artist who garnered regional fame post releasing a single dubbed ‘Trap Beldi’ in 2018. Reaching over 10 million views, the track - delivered in traditional Arabic vernacular Darija - propelled the rapper to create cultural tracks that withstand the test of time.
- ElGrandeToto: Taha Fahssi, better known as El Grande Toto, is a trilingual artist merging Darija, French and English to construct a sound devoted to his origins. With his singles like ‘Fuego’, ‘I’m Good’ and ‘SILK ROAD’, Anfa Rose’s sonically dark melodies act as the perfect backdrop to his intimate lyrics.
- Don Bigg: With raw and evocative stylistics, Don Bigg’s tracks tackle themes pertaining to Morocco’s urban youth. Beginning his musical career at the tender age of 14, the rapper travelled through 4 separate rap bands before flying solo and releasing his debut album ‘Mgharba ' tal Mout’ (Moroccans Til We Die) in 2006.
- Draganov: Diving into the world of eclectic artist Draganov is akin to tuning down famed, overproduced tracks and succumbing to a world embellished with real-life sentiments. His most recent release, ‘FORSSA’ - interspersed with French and English pop culture references - unabashedly dives into wicked themes of love and betrayal.
- Khtek: Working under the moniker Khtek, Moroccan rapper Houda Abouz was one of the freshest new sounds to hit the hip-hop scene since 2020. Stand-out tracks include ‘Ftila’, ‘Kick Off’, and her collaboration with Tagne and Stormy on the track ‘Fratello’. Khtek’s style is entirely her own as she seamlessly switches between Moroccan Arabic dialects, French and English. In recent years, she’s been amping up the frequency of her live performances with shows across the region.
- ILY: Slicing through the male-dominated industry, Morocco’s ILY launched her career through a meme meant to dislodge industry giants. ILY later went on to make a name for herself with emotional tracks such as ‘Baba’ - a song written challenging the nepotism rumours enshrouding her - and ‘Illuminati’, a track unravelling anger in all its forms.
- Stormy: Known for releasing politically-charged music, Stormy the rapper and hip hop recording artist is best known for his tracks ‘Tchin Tchin’ and ‘Layli’.
Other Notable Moroccan Artists
Chaïbia Talal was among the most famous Moroccan painters of the 20th century, known for her brightly colored, stylized paintings of women. She was born in 1929 in a small village near El Jadida, Morocco and was married at the age of 13 to an older man, only to be widowed soon after. She began painting in 1963, and in 1965 her son, Hossein, also a painter, invited the French art critic Pierre Gaudibert to their home. Impressed with her work, by the following year Tala had solo shows at the Goethe-Institut in Casablanca, the Solstice Gallery in Paris, and the Salon des Surindépendants in the Museum of Modern Art in Paris, and quickly become internationally famous for her self-taught artworks.
Zineb Bouchra
They say imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. Bouchra, who studies at Morroco’s Fine Arts School of Tetouan, has created her own series of artwork by combining famous images with simple materials inspired by Amazigh (sometimes referred to as Berber) art. Amazigh is the term used by indigenous people in North Africa to describe themselves.
Zineb Bouchra’s revive of a portrait of Frida Kahlo.
Zineb Bouchra’s revive of Caravaggio - Boy Bitten by a Lizard. “I have recreated different paintings, starting with orientalist painters such as Portaels. I also tried different paintings like the ‘Mona Lisa’ by Leonardo da Vinci, as I love his artwork and he is one of my biggest inspirations,” Bouchra said, who got started on her striking recreations after learning about an open invitation by the J. Zineb Bouchra’s revive of Charles Zacharie Landelle - Woman with Oranges. That Getty Museum Challenge was conceived as a playful pastime game in response to the pandemic-related closing of museums, but quickly caught on in social media. “I saw the challenge and thought to myself, ‘I could do that in my own style,’” said Bouchra. “My friends and family have been very supportive. They always come up with new ideas and help me combine my outfits,” she said.
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