Khalid El Bekay

Khalid El Bekay is a multidisciplinary artist living and working between Casablanca and Barcelona. A graduate of the Tétouan Higher Institute of Fine Arts, El Bekay also holds a degree from the Faculty of Fine Arts in Barcelona. With a career spanning over 30 years, he has developed a distinctive artistic language rooted in his Moroccan heritage and enriched by his engagement with diverse cultural influences.

El Bekay’s artistic journey began with his move to Barcelona in the early 1990s, where exposure to Western traditions shaped his exploration of new themes and techniques. Initially working with portraiture and figurative art, he transitioned to collage, which became central to his practice. Using layered, torn paper in vibrant colors, his works reimagine ordinary objects into metaphor—such as fruit that represents the bounty of nature, or teapots and coffeepots representing friendship or communion—these symbols and metaphors, inviting viewers to mentally complete fragmented imagery.

Inspired by his Moroccan roots, El Bekay incorporates geometric patterns, textured arabesques, and gestural calligraphy into his work, evoking a connection to tradition. Simultaneously, his art bridges cultural boundaries, reflecting both Eastern and Western influences.

El Bekay has expanded his exploration of collage into three-dimensional works, utilizing materials such as methacrylate, etching plates, and wire. These assemblages and sculptures maintain his characteristic fragmentation while introducing tactile, abstract reinterpretations of familiar forms. More recently, his travels to China have inspired new compositional structures, incorporating verticality reminiscent of Chinese calligraphy and bamboo as a symbolic element. These works reflect a harmonious fusion of cultural perspectives and new aesthetic directions.

Throughout his career, Khalid El Bekay has consistently pushed the boundaries of representation, transforming everyday objects into icons and metaphors. His art embodies a unique synthesis of traditions and personal expression, offering a compelling narrative of cultural convergence and artistic evolution.

His work is held in numerous prestigious public and private collections worldwide, including the Royal Palace in Rabat and Tetuan, Morocco; MV Museum, Rabat; Ministry of Culture, Rabat; National Museum, Agadir; Palace of Justice, Rabat; Hotel Saadi-Palace, Mamounia Marrakech; Parliament, Rabat; ONCF, Rabat-Ville Station; CDG, Rabat; and the various Ministries of the Kingdom of Morocco. His works are also housed in the collections of the various banks, institutions, and hotels of the Kingdom of Morocco and Europe. Internationally, his work is held by the Chinese Ministry of Culture, Beijing; The National Museum, Beijing; Changuai Museum; and Guanlan Printmaking Museum, Shenzhen, as well as in notable collections in Italy such as CAM Museum, Naples; and Spain Ethnological Museum, Arbucies, Girona.