Abderrazak Benchabaane-a creative vision.

Abderrazzak Benchaabane was born in 1959 in Marrakech.After earning his BA in 1978, he decided to pursue studies in biology at the Faculty of Marrakech. A Abderrazzak Benchaabane was born in 1959 in Marrakech. He is a professor of ethnobotany and a botanist ,gardener, photographer and perfumer by inventing the 'Perfume of the sun'.

In 1999 he restored the garden at the Jardin de Majorelle for Yves St Laurent and Pierre Bergé, he is a doctor in ethnobotany and is the publisher of the magazine "Jardins du Maroc Jardins du Monde". Following the restoration of the Jardin Majorelle he felt that the gardens of Morocco deserved to be better known and therefore he created the magazine to reach a high level and refined audience. Having launched the magazine he established the Festival of Moroccan gardens "Jardin'Art" to reach a wider audience so that everyone could experience the Moroccan art of gardening.

He creates perfumes under his company "Parfums de Soleil". He also created the remarkable Life Style museum from a riad in Mouassine in the Medina which is currently hosting an exhibition of Kaftans.

He is a noted photographer and is the author of documentary films about Moroccan art and has photographed in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chile. He exhibited his work widely in Europe and Morocco since 1981.

Yacout Info met with Abderazak Benchabaane to talk about the forthcoming Marrakech Contemporary Art Biennale 16-19 December 2010 which he began as director in 2008.

Abderrazak Benchabaane has been interested in the arts and exhibitions for 30 years and it occured to him in 2007 that not everyone could visit all the galleries in Morocco and that it was desirable to reach a larger public and he began to work on the idea which became theMarrakech Biennale for contemporary art. The first biennale was held in 2008 and it was a great success because for the first time galleries from all over Morocco, from Tangier , Rabat and Casablanca came to Marrakech and with this success it was obviously necessary to continue this effort. Contemporary art has seen many new developments over the last two years and all over Morocco inplaces like Agadir new contemporary art galleries have opened where non previously existed.We have been very encouraged by this and it strengthens our desire to work on an even bigger biennale in 2010.

The 2nd edition of the Biennale will be even larger with many new galleries and Moroccan and foreign artists specially invited by the biennale. These include artists from Moroccan galleries such as : Gallery Tindouf gallery Marsam, Mémo'Art, Akwas, Black on White Space Dibaji Triptych Vision. In the exhibition "Carte Blanche" the work of artists from Morocco, Iraq and France with photography, video or art installations that are just being shown by galleries in Morocco and the Marrakech Biennale has begun, to reach a wider audience with this exhibition. Hajoubi Ahmed Hassan Echaïr, Corrine Holes, Romli Mustapha, Imad Mansour, Abdelaziz Zirou, Mounat Charrat, Nadia Ouariachi, Mazmouz Fatima Hassan Nadim Saad Tazi, Yahaya, Jean-Luc Defromont, Mist Alëxone Dizac Sebastien Preschoux, Zine El Abidine El Amine and many others will be exhibiting in this exhibition.

The Biennale is also interested in developing an educative process and training for young art students and we have organised a workshop at the Lycée Hassan II in Marrakech which will work for a week with specified artists who have generously agreed to work with the students.

Abderrazak Benchabaane has been very impressed by the young student's enthusiasm and dedication which he hopes will lead to another great success for the biennale. six young students in applied arts at the Lycée Hassan II in Marrakech will participate in the event. Nassime Essayed, Omnii Tabit, Mohmed Melioui, Hiba Sadjou, Yassine Chraibi Yassine Mohmed Haîkalane will create pieces on the theme of "Dignity." They will each express what for each individual artist is the notion of dignity under the guidance of artist Corinne Troisi.

The Biennale has teamed up with the Tetouan school of Fine Arts and the Fine Arts school of Casablanca and they are coming to Marrakech for a residency and they will be presenting their work at the biennale.The students from these schools of Fine Arts will be able to meet and exchange experiences and ideas for the first time in Marrakech which is now a premier destination for artists to exhibit the work.We will have a symposium for artists on the Moroccan thinker Abdekébir Khatibi with contemporary art under the theme "Khatibi artists and the arts scene. Researchers, art critics and academics Moroccan and foreign attend the meeting. This symposium will be held at Ryad Mogador Friday, December 17 from 9am.

There will be a tribute to the late Edmond Amran El Maleh. His award will be presented to the National Library in Rabat.