Farid Belkahia (1934-2014) was a pioneer of modern art in Morocco. The artist strived to develop a new iconography inspired by Moroccan tradition and notions of mysticism and reminiscences. Like many of his contemporaries, he believed that the principles of Arabic calligraphy were essential in developing a regional modern style of painting. He taught the discipline as the Director of the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Casablanca, before making it a key component of the ‘Casablanca Group’, an artistic school he founded alongside Mohammed Melehi (see lots 7 to 12, and 50 to 55) and Mohamed Chebaa. Together, they explored ways to bridge the gap between tradition and modernity, craft and fine art, and ultimately East and West.

True to his convictions, Belkahia abandoned canvas and oil paint in 1965, preferring to work with natural pigments and organic surfaces. Processing animal skins himself before applying pigments sourced from mineral and plant origin, this is how he developed the distinct style visible in the present lot.

This stretched leather painting incorporates typical motifs of Berber tradition. The vellum evokes animal sacrifice, while the warm henna tones recall joyful local celebrations. The natural colorant employed in this painting, called Smagh, has historically been used for sacred Qur’an inscriptions over wooden tablets. Vellum is also the material of parchment, on which some of the earliest copies of the Qur’an were recorded. On this painting, the undulating shapes seems to flow through the vellum, spreading a vital energy of primitive nature, almost bestial. Through these dynamic artworks, Belkahia appeals to the fundamental sensory function of skin, conveying both sensuality and mysticism.