About this event
Contemporary art inside an ancient market
Artist Odile Guinand presents « Il était une fois un souk : Traversée intemporelle » within the recently restored historic Souq Semmarine in Fes. Rather than treating the building simply as a backdrop, she uses its architecture and layers of collective memory as part of the artwork. The exhibition invites visitors to consider how objects, walls and spaces preserve traces of the people who lived and worked there.
Spices, wax and materials with histories
Guinand incorporates materials such as spices, beeswax, earth, hides and « smagh », drawn from African and local craft traditions. By changing their familiar functions, she explores their evocative and sometimes sacred dimensions. Each material carries several narratives: its origin, the artist's gesture, the resulting installation and the memories that visitors bring to it. The project is presented with the Fes Festival of Sufi Culture and World Wisdoms.
Opening and visit information
The exhibition runs from 18 October through 4 December 2026 at Souq Semmarine, Fes. Opening event: Sunday 18 October at 3 pm. Regular visiting hours and admission charges are not stated on the official listing.
