Summer Exhibition A(R)MOUR by Mous Lamrabat at MAD Brussels
Belgian-Moroccan photographer Mous Lamrabat's exhibition at MAD Brussels, Belgium, is embraced by colourful scenography by French designer Justin Morin.
The exhibition A(R)MOUR by photographer Mous Lamrabat is an ode to love and gives a colourful look at the fragile or sometimes powerful protection clothing can offer us. What does a label say about your personality? What does a headwear like a Fez or a basketball cap mean? Some people's armour will be different from others', but both are always in place. And the truth may be somewhere in between.
For the exhibition, the Moroccan-born Belgian photographer developed an entirely new series of photographs. This time, he swapped the desert for a more urban context. And for this he did not have to go far at all. A touch of North Africa in Brussels is sometimes closer than we think. Mous Lamrabat - with his regular partner in crime stylist Lisa Lapauw - tracked down some colourful spots in the capital that remind him of his motherland.
Scenography
An explosion of colours was chosen for the scenography. A bright pink neon of the Arabic word Love, pictures printed on Palestinian keffiyeh scarves and a Majorelle blue carpet. Text and image are removed from the wall and take centre stage in the space. In this non-traditional arrangement, MAD Brussels, the centre for fashion and design, presents Lamrabat's work in front of metre-high curtains that divide the space. For this, French artist Justin Morin designed a unique transparent textile based on Mous Lamrabat's colourful universe. The curtains interact with the photographs and reinforce the intensity and emotions of the images. In total, you can admire 81 works by Mous Lamrabat. The mix of exclusive work and previously shown images gives a wonderful glimpse of the cultural melting pot that is our capital city.
The oeuvre of French designer Justin Morin (44) is best characterised by abstractions and silky colour transitions. The canvases in his textile installations are always printed with a colourful translation of subjects referred to, often with humour, in the titles. He has collaborated in the past with brands such as Carven and Louis Vuitton to decorate fashion shows and shop windows. Justin Morin is represented by Capital Gallery in San Francisco and Last Resort in Copenhagen.
Who is Mous Lamrabat?
After studying interior design, Mous Lamrabat (40) broke through as a self-made fashion photographer. He soon developed his own visual language where spontaneity, humour and an unconventional view of the world take centre stage. The fusion of different stylistic elements and cultural references are at the heart of his creativity. His oeuvre is therefore internationally acclaimed for the way he brings together Moroccan and Western aesthetics. Lamrabat created his own utopian space that exists beyond a world of cultural divisions, racism and status. He has worked for international magazines such as Vogue Arabia, GQ Middle East and Vanity Fair, and last year had a solo exhibition at Amsterdam's Fotomuseum.
For more information about the exhibition:
Practical information
June 9th - September 2nd: A(R)MOUR by Mous Lamrabat
The exhibition takes place at MAD Brussels: Nieuwe Graanmarkt 10, 1000 Brussels. The exhibition is open to the public free of charge from Tuesday to Saturday from 11 am to 6 pm.
For more information or interview requests, please contact:
Alexandra Borgerhoff