About

Mahi Binebine was born in 1959 in Marrakech, where he currently lives and works. He moved to Paris in 1980 to pursue studies in mathematics, a discipline he taught for several years before fully dedicating himself to writing and painting.

In the 1990s, he settled in New York, a formative period during which his work developed and gained recognition on the international art scene. His works entered major collections, including the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and the Smithsonian Museum.

Upon returning to Marrakech in the early 2000s, he developed a singular body of work, both pictorial and sculptural, where materials such as wax, pigments, and ashes become a language of their own. His often fragmented figures evoke the memory of bodies, exile, confinement, and resilience.

Alongside his visual practice, he is the author of several novels translated internationally. His writing explores human fragility, intimate histories, and the darker layers of contemporary history. Les Étoiles de Sidi Moumen was adapted into the film Les Chevaux de Dieu.

His work is profoundly shaped by his family history, notably the years his brother spent imprisoned in Tazmamart, a memory that runs through his practice without ever confining it.

He co-founded the Fondation Ali Zaoua with Nabil Ayouch to support access to culture for young people from underprivileged communities. He is also co-founder and president of the African Book Festival of Marrakech, which highlights African literature and contemporary voices.

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