The artist Tino Sehgal is bringing his famous brand of performance art to north Africa with an exhibition of his work due to open in Marrakech next month (13 May-5 June). The Berlin-based artist’s new project will go on show in the historic BAM building, the former Bank al Maghrib building on the Jemaa el-Fna square.
“Sehgal will present choreographed sequences interpreted by dancers, showcasing contemporary work alongside more ancient practices,” says a press statement. “Sehgal's project will invite the public to experience sensations that are closely attuned to the ancient pulsation of the Jemaa el-Fna square.”
The curator Mouna Mekouar says: "I invited Tino to come to Marrakech to get to know the ancient practices of Jemaa el-Fna square. Tino was fascinated by the vocabulary of the artists and also by the energy exuding from the square."
The exhibition is supported by local and regional authorities including le Conseil Communal de la Ville de Marrakech, La Wilaya de la Région Marrakech-Safi and Le Conseil Régional de Marrakech-Safi.
Sehgal is known for directly involving visitors through "constructed situations" acted out by performers. Instructions on how to re-enact his works are delivered literally by word-of-mouth, with collectors under strict orders never to photograph or video his works.