Abdellatif Laâbi’s 'A Poet Passes' exhibited at Mohammed VI Museum in Rabat

RABAT - Moroccan writer Abdellatif Laâbi inaugurated on Tuesday his exhibition "A Poet Passes" in the presence of many artists at the Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMVI) in Rabat. 

The Moroccan writer and verse weaver, who is recognized for the captivating beauty of his poems, was the privileged witness to the blossoming of a poetic adventure. His exhibition, "A Poet Passes", is like an epic, to highlight the rich and committed work of this scholar who shapes the verses like so many threads woven over time.

By deploying a mosaic of literary publications, archival documents, living paintings and videos, this exhibition revealed itself as a vibrant celebration of Laâbi’s abundant universe.

The exhibition, which tells the story of a multidisciplinary cultural movement that shook up the literary and intellectual situation in Morocco, has metamorphosed at the Museum into a standard-bearer of a generation in search of meaning, according to Laâbi.

“Through this wording, I sought to illustrate the fragility inherent in all human works, as well as our vulnerability as human beings. We are simple passers-by, but during our passage, we leave imprints for future generations, so that they remember that spirits looked into our destiny, our enigma and our questions,” Laâbi told the media.

“I had the idea of ​​organizing an exhibition highlighting my own creations. Initially a writer, poet and novelist, I felt the need to explore another art where words are not necessary to express what you feel inside yourself. Writing requires words, while in painting you are free in front of a canvas. It’s up to you to discover something that will open up a different space in your mind,” he added.

At the entrance to the museum, the first part of the exhibition opens with a tribute to the magazine "Souffles", founded by Laâbi in collaboration with the poets Mostafa Nissabouri, Mohammed Khaïr-Eddine, as well as the artists Farid Belkahia, Mohammed Chabaâ and Mohamed Melehi.
 
This space also honours Mohamed Melehi, who created the model of the magazine, through panels designed by the late artist for the fiftieth anniversary of “Souffles”.
The next section of the exhibition is dedicated to Laâbi's prolific production in poetry and literature, from his first collections and stories to his most recent works and essays while the last section reveals his transition from poetry to painting.

Through his pictorial creations, the artist transforms himself into the oracle of his time. He uses art as a window for reflection to weave visual enigmas and illuminate the mysteries of the human soul.