Mostapha Romli, Founding President of the International Biennial of Casablanca, has announced the nomination of Christine Eyene as Artistic Director of its 4th edition.
Founded in 2012, the International Biennial of Casablanca aims to create an intercultural dialogue between Moroccan and African artists, and the international art scene. It is also a contemporary art platform open to reflections on subjects ranging from the creative field to questions pertaining to society.
Christine Eyene is a Research Fellow in Contemporary Art at the University of Central Lancashire where she works on Making Histories Visible, an interdisciplinary visual arts research project led by Lubaina Himid MBE artist and Professor of Contemporary Art at UCLan. Her research focuses on contemporary African and Diaspora arts, 1980s Black British arts, representations of the body and gender in art, design and sound art. She is also the co-founder of Cameroon’s photography project YaPhoto.
Her next touring exhibition Sounds Like Her, showcasing women’s practices around music and sound art, will open at New Art Exchange (Nottingham) in October 2017. Among her previous projects can be named: Still unresolved and very much ongoing, Yamamoto Keiko Rochaix, London (2017); Murder Machine, Ormston House, Limerick, as part of the 37th edition of EVA International – Ireland’s Biennial of Contemporary Art curated by Koyo Kouoh (2016); Curators’ Series # 8: All Of Us Have A Sense Of Rhythm, David Roberts Art Foundation, London (2015); WHERE WE’RE AT! Other Voices on Gender, BOZAR, Brussels, as part of the Summer of Photography (2014); Gideon Mendel: Drowning World, Tiwani Contemporary, London (2013), and the 10th edition of Dak’Art – Biennial of Contemporary African Art, IFAN Museum and National Gallery, Dakar (2012).
Eyene is a member of the Nouveau Musée National de Monaco’s Scientific Committee led by NMNM Director Marie-Claude Beaud. She is also member of the Acquisition Committee of the Fonds Régional d’Art Contemporain (Frac) Reunion Island led by Béatrice Binoche. From the latter was born an interest in insular contexts and overseas relationships that will be a key element of her research as part of the biennial.
Mostapha Romli states: “We are very pleased that Christine Eyene has accepted our invitation to take on the artistic direction of this 4th edition. Her experience and innovative approach will lead the International Biennial of Casablanca to a new phase.”
Christine Eyene says about her nomination: “It is in Morocco that I took my first steps in contemporary art many years ago. I am delighted at the opportunity to develop a large-scale project bridging Morocco and Africa with diverse international art contexts.”
The 4th International Biennial of Casablanca will take place from October 2018.