HAFIDA ZIZI

Hafida Zizi, born in 1976 in a small Moroccan village of Aghbala in the region of Beni Mellal, like many women of the Atlas Mountains, she wove carpets from childhood. Through her relationship with weaving, the artist quickly connects to the colors to the point of making it a real passion. Inspired by the landscapes of her region, versed in the language of colors and shapes, Hafida's process has transformed and evolved.

At the age of twenty-eight, Hafida began to depict the lives of Moroccan women through painting. The artist presented her first exhibition in Imilchil in 2011 and has since participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions across Morocco, as well as projects in the United States and France.

Hafida Zizi's collective works are a testament to the daily lives of women and their major role in their communities. Vibrant, bold and optimistic. They tell stories that transcend social and cultural barriers while shaking up the usual language customs.

The large open eyes that she paints on each of her characters echo the Moroccan symbolism of the protective khamsa, the hand that keeps away evil onlookers and protects the person.

Hafida did not study art in a formal institution, but this has not prevented her from devoting herself to the creative process. A self-taught artist, she expresses her experiences as a Moroccan woman in naive representations. Her works capture the heart of her audience through the combination of colors and narrative sequences.

The duality of her work lies in the fact that it is both contemporary and historical, soft and strong, fantastic and real and a determination that offers her the opportunity to formulate a distinct style.

It is a great honor that the Musée de la Femme is able to curate this exhibition in Marrakech to celebrate the artist, her legacy, her artistic journey and her continued success. May her art continue to travel and carry with it the stories of the women of Morocco.