Mohamed Hamidi

Mohamed Hamidi – Untitled, 1973

Born in Casablanca in 1941, Mohamed Hamidi trained at the École des beaux-arts in Casablanca before pursuing his studies in Paris. He first entered the École des beaux-arts, and then, from 1962, the École des arts décoratifs, where he studied fresco painting and its techniques.

Upon his return to Morocco, he taught at the École des beaux-arts in Casablanca between 1967 and 1975, actively participating in Moroccan cultural life. In 1969, Hamidi took part in the manifesto-exhibition at Jemaa el-Fna Square alongside Melehi, Belkahia, and Chabâa, as well as the Asilah Cultural Festival in 1978. He is also one of the co-founders of the Moroccan Association of Plastic Arts (AMAP).

Mohamed Hamidi stands out for his warm palette dominated by reds and oranges, as well as his sensual and erotic abstract compositions where the body, matter, and African memory occupy a central place. He was the first Moroccan artist to explore locally rooted languages and subjects, whether through the art of statuary or music.