Billard, North African Gaming Culture Reimagined
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Time to read 1 min
Premiering at 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, January 30th, 2025
Opening at the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, BILLARD transforms our gallery space into an immersive journey through the billiard game rooms that defined youth culture across North Africa from the 1980s to 2000s.
These spaces, which pulsed with Raï music and hummed with arcade game sounds, were more than gaming venues—they were crucial social hubs where generations came of age.
The Artists & Their Works
Amine Habti (Amsterdam/Morocco)
Amine Habti brings gaming nostalgia into the contemporary art world with "The Legend of Cheb Hasni," a fully playable arcade game that merges 8-bit aesthetics with Raï music culture.
Each game cabinet serves as both an art piece and a functional portal to the past.
Kamil Hajji (Switzerland/Morocco)
Kamil Hajji presents a ceramic installation reimagining Zellij patterns inspired by Tetris game - where traditional craftsmanship meets gaming culture.
A contemplative experience featuring handcrafted pieces that blur the lines between heritage and contemporary design.
Mohammed Smyej (Marrakech)
Mohamed Smyej explores nostalgia and youth through "The Dirham Cravata" - a meditation on Morocco's arcade tokens that once unlocked digital realms. His work features a quadriptych of physical artworks, accompanied by a generative animation with personal narrative, and a separate video projection inspired by Space Invaders' aesthetic.
Through these works, Smyej transforms a humble arcade token into a symbol of adolescent freedom and digital escape.
Nabil Boudarqa (Marrakech/Casablanca)
Nabil Boudarqa presents a multifaceted installation exploring the symbiotic relationship between neighborhood landscapes and the musical identity of billiard rooms.
Alongside this, his signature defigurative portraits pay homage to the absent souls who once animated these spaces, capturing the ephemeral nature of these cherished community hubs.
Experience & Interaction
Beyond traditional art fair viewing, BILLARD invites visitors to actively engage with the works. Play restored arcade games, assemble DIY paper craft cabinets, and even taste custom-designed exhibition sweets that recreate period-specific treats.
When & Where?
Date: Thurday, January 30th, 2025
Time: 6:00 PM
Location: L'BLASSA ART SPACE
Address: 38 rue Tarik bnou Ziad, Gueliz, Marrakech
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