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After a two-decade absence, Moroccan painter, sculptor, and novelist Mahi Binebine has returned to the New York art scene with a new exhibition titled «On the Line». The opening took place on Wednesday evening at the Sapar Contemporary Art Gallery in Tribeca, amidst the city's vibrant artistic heart.
Admirers gathered to appreciate Binebine's meticulously crafted works, showcasing the depth he's honed over the past decade. Through paintings and sculptures, the exhibition invites viewers into his creative world, encountering silhouettes in departure, bent figures, and bodies curled in introspection.
«Binebine's works trace the contours of individuality, family, history, and socio-political change in North Africa», reads the gallery's introductory note. «Using lines, he illustrates scenes that suggest we, too, could be subjects of this narrative».
Curator Rachel Winter, in an essay for the exhibition, describes Binebine's art as offering «windows» into other experiences while also functioning as mirrors reflecting ourselves within the narrative. «It's a glimpse into a past that could become our future», she writes.
Nina Levent, executive director of the gallery, highlights how Binebine's art illuminates diverse historical periods and portrays humanity in all its forms. She also expresses pride in showcasing the first North African artist at their Lower Manhattan location.
Bertrand Epaud, an artistic liaison specialist, notes the exhibition's opportunity to rediscover Binebine's work, particularly his masks, which have garnered interest from major American and international collections.
For Binebine, this exhibition follows his December 2023 showing at Art Basel Miami Beach and serves as both a retrospective and a reminder of his early work during his first New York stay over 25 years ago.
The inauguration of «On the Line» attracted a diverse crowd, including artists, figures from various backgrounds, and Ambassador Omar Hilale, Morocco's Permanent Representative to the UN.
Born in Marrakech in 1959, Binebine moved to Paris in 1980 for his mathematics studies, which he later taught for eight years before dedicating himself to writing and painting. His novels have been translated into numerous languages. He lived in New York from 1994 to 1999, and his paintings are part of the Guggenheim Museum's permanent collection. He currently lives and works in his hometown.
