ifa Gallery Berlin presents In The Carpet, a group show investigating the mutual influences between the practices of art and craft, and the fruitful exchanges between centers in Europe and in Morocco.

The narrative is built on the emblematic figure of Sheila Hicks who worked in the early seventies with artisans in Morocco. Through her work, this exhibition addresses stories with multiple time frames, from the Bauhaus until today. The formal dialogue between the Zemmour and Beni Ourain carpets and the Bauhaus figures of Anni Albers and Gunta Stölzl will be highlighted. The switch that occurred with these modern artists will be taken in perspective with the creation of the artists’ group “Ecole de Casablanca”.

The show will engage with the polysemous definitions of the carpet – as both object and representation, space and territory, form and technique, gesture and performance – underlining the fusions and overlaps between art practices and forms. It highlights the complex phenomena of superposition or fusion, and the exchanges between North Africa and Europe.

With Saâdane Afif, Amina Agueznay, Anni Albers, Yto Barrada, Sheila Hicks, Mostafa Maftah, Mohammed Melehi, Gunta Stölzl and anonymous Moroccan Masters

Curated by Salma Lahlou, Mouna Mekouar and Alya Sebti.

Opening: Thursday, 19 January 2017, 6 pm
Welcoming speech 7 pm
During the opening, the Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in the Federal Republic of Germany kindly invites you to a sampling of Moroccan tea, refreshments and finger food.

Curators and Artist Talk : Friday, 20 January 2017, 3 pm
With Saâdane Afif, Mostafa Maftah, Salma Lahlou, Mouna Mekouar and Alya Sebti

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www.ifa.de