Ghany Belmaachi (XX) - Barriére

Splendid and rare work by the Moroccan artist Ghany Belmaachi, better known as Ghany. This is an oil on panel. Signed bottom right with "Ghany".

Origin
Fauve Paris, lot 477, July 2, 2016
Galerie Umbria, Nieuwe Spiegelstraat Amsterdam

Ghany Belmaachi

Ghany Belmaachi (born 1949/1950 in Marrakech) is a prominent Moroccan painter and a pioneer of the "Nouvelle Figuration" in Morocco. He is known for his 50-year career in which passion and inquiry come together. His work explores the human condition through a less realistic and often abstract style, according to this source. He gained international recognition through exhibitions and his artistic contacts in France.

Early life and education
Birth: Born in the Kasbah of Marrakech, Morocco.

Artistic roots: He developed a passion for painting and drawing at an early age.

Education: At age 11 he began four years of drawing lessons with the German painter Hans Holbein at Lycée Ibn Abbad (formerly Lycée Mangin).

Artistic career and style
Nouvelle Figuration: Recognized as a pioneer of this movement in Morocco, which stood apart from strict realism to explore deeper human experiences.

Style: His work is characterized by continual exploration, focusing on themes such as the passer-by, daily life, and the fragile balance between past, present and becoming.

International presence: In 1975 he befriended Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones and painted a mural in his workshop in Vence, France. He connected with artists such as Arman, César and André Verdet in Saint-Paul-de-Vence.

Legacy: Known for more than 50 years of passionate and engaged artistic production, combining creativity with a social responsibility to give meaning to art.

Ghany Belmaachi’s work is still exhibited and reflects a life of travel and inspiration and has seen a strong rise in value in recent years.