Moroccan artist Larbi Cherkaoui has dedicated over three decades to exploring the Arabic letter as an independent plastic form. His work systematically extracts the calligraphic sign from its linguistic function to investigate its abstract visual potential.
Recent exhibitions, such as "Traces" at Galerie 38 in Casablanca (2024) and participation in the "Arabic Alphabet" show at the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris (2023-2024), demonstrate the continuity of this exploration. His pieces often feature layered, deconstructed letters on mixed-media surfaces, creating textured, metaphysical landscapes.
Art critics and institutions frame Cherkaoui's practice within a broader contemporary movement of Arab artists redefining calligraphic heritage. His approach is noted for its meditative, almost archaeological quality, treating the letter as a primary visual entity rather than a vehicle for text.
Born in 1952 in Oulad Teima, Cherkaoui is a graduate of the École des Beaux-Arts in Casablanca. His work is held in collections including the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts and the Museum of African Contemporary Art Al Maaden (MACAAL) in Marrakech.
