Fez — The Private University of Fez (UPF) has inaugurated “Fenn,” a new exhibition gallery dedicated to visual arts, Moroccan identity, and contemporary creation.
The gallery opened Monday in Fez as part of “Fès Design Days 2026,” a cultural and academic event running from May 11 to 15 under the theme “Sustainable Architectures and Design in a Changing World.”
The inaugural exhibition brought together the colorful paintings of Rime Sbai and the sculptural, symbolic works of multidisciplinary artist Ahmed Bennani.
Mustapha Akalay Nasser, director of UPF’s Higher School of Architecture and Building Trades, told Morocco World News (MWN) that the university wanted the gallery to become “a permanent place of exhibition throughout the year.”
The event gathered artists, architects, professors, students, and art enthusiasts around a shared conversation on painting, sculpture, design, and Moroccan visual memory.
A dialogue between color and form
The exhibition presents two distinct but complementary artistic worlds.
Sbai’s paintings are marked by vivid palettes, stylized female figures, and references to Moroccan heritage. Her works combine electric blue, pink, yellow, and green to create expressive compositions inspired by popular music, memory, and cultural belonging.
Several of her pieces portray women holding traditional Moroccan musical instruments. The figures appear through fluid lines and graphic patterns, turning color into a language of joy, movement, and attachment to Morocco.
Sbai told MWN, “I am exhibiting several pieces from different collections.” She added, “The works show scenes inspired by Moroccan music.”
Bennani’s work moves in a more sober and meditative direction. His pieces explore veils, matter, wind, and movement, using draped shapes and metallic sculptures to reflect on the body, memory, and social representation.
“I tried to exhibit my last paintings with some sculptures to show the supports and techniques.” Bennani told MWN.
His works create a tension between presence and disappearance, rigidity and lightness. Through floating textures and wrapped or fragmented silhouettes, Bennani invites viewers to read identity as something layered, shifting, and deeply symbolic.
A new cultural space for Fez
The event combines scientific conferences with artistic exhibitions, linking architecture and design to broader questions of creativity and culture.
Sbai welcomed the launch of “Fenn,” describing it as a valuable initiative for Fez’s cultural scene. She said the new gallery can help energize artistic life in the city by giving artists another platform to present and promote their work.
Art within design conversations
“Fenn” opens as UPF positions “Fès Design Days 2026” as a meeting point for architecture, design, art, and contemporary creation. The program includes conferences, exhibitions, and artistic encounters focused on sustainable design and urban transformation.
The inaugural exhibition will remain open to the public until May 15.
