The Museum of African Contemporary Art Al Maaden (MACAAL), Marrakech, opens ‚Ä™today‚Ĩ with two exhibitions: a semi-permanent exhibition comprised of the Fondation Alliances” general collection and L”Afrique n”est pas une √Æle (Africa Is No Island), an exhibition of contemporary photography from the African continent and the diaspora. The opening coincides with the first African edition of the celebrated contemporary art fair 1-54 in Marrakech. This timely collaboration between MACAAL and 1-54 creates a moment of heightened international awareness, illuminating the creative energy and cultural diversity that is prominent across the continent of Africa. Curated by Jeanne Mercier and Baptiste de Ville d”Avray of photography platform Afrique in Visu and the independent curator Madeleine de Colnet, the exhibition brings together the work of approximately 40 emerging and established photographers who are working from a distinctly African perspective. The artists examine universally relevant cultural concepts of tradition, spirituality, family and the environment, within the context of modern African experiences and daily life. Africa Is No Island celebrates Afrique in Visu”s decade long working practice by selecting artists who have previously shown on the platform as well as those from within Fondation Alliances collection. This platform itself has become a “visual territory”, overcoming the borders and reporting on different perspectives on, around and from the African continent. The curators have chosen works based on the following three themes; “suis ma repr√©sentation” (I am my own representation), Dessiner des g√©ographies” (Drawing Borders) and ‚ÄòRecueillir l”histoire” (Transcribe History). This display runs alongside a collage-based photography installation of works by other Afrique in Visu artists which covers part of the exhibition space. The museum space has been transformed by architecture firm lazraqbret into an immersive environment inspired by the traditional architecture of Moroccan medinas, which are typically walled, with many narrow and maze-like streets. Visitors enter the exhibition via a door shaped in the customary circular >Exhibition details: Title: Africa Is No Island Address: Al Maaden, Sidi Youssef Ben Ali, 40000 Marrakech Telephone: ‚Ä™+212 676 92 44 92‚Ĩ Website: ‚Ä™www.macaal.org‚Ĩ Dates: ‚Ä™24 February-24 August 2018‚Ĩ Opening Hours: ‚Ä™Tuesday - Sunday‚Ĩ Summer Hours: ‚Ä™10am-7pm‚Ĩ Winter Hours: ‚Ä™9am-6pm‚Ĩ