Mahi Binebine is a Moroccan painter and novelist born in Marrakech in 1959. Binebine has written six novels which have been translated into various languages.
Career
Born in 1959 in Marrakech, Mahi Binebine moved in Paris in 1980 to continue his studies in mathematics, which he taught for eight years. He then devoted himself to writing and painting. He wrote several novels, which have been translated into a dozen languages. He emigrated to New York from 1994 to 1999. His paintings are part of the permanent collection at the Guggenheim Museum in New York. He returned to Marrakech in 2002 where he currently lives and works. In "Mamaya’s Last Journey" the author is drawing on an episode from his own family history. His brother Aziz was one of the young officers who had taken part in the failed military coup against King Hassan II in 1971. For 18 years, he was imprisoned in the desert camp of Tazmamart, under conditions of unimaginable and almost indescribable brutality. Of the 56 prisoners, only half survived; among them, Aziz Binebine. Mahi Binebine's fellow writer Tahar Ben Jelloun took this story as the basis for his novel This Blinding Absence of Light. Welcome to Paradise, the English translation of Cannibales was short-listed for the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize in 2004. Horses of God, also translated by Lulu Norman, was shortlisted for the Best Translated Book Award in 2014. It was made into a feature film in Morocco in 2011, called Horses of God, directed by Nabil Ayouch and selected for the official Moroccan entry for best foreign language film for the 2013 Oscars. In 2020, Mahi won the Mediterranean Prize for his novel "Rue du pardon".
2017 Galerie Abla Ababou, Rabat Art Paris Galerie DX Rétrospective - Galerie Claude Lemand 2016 Musée MACMA, Marrakech. 2015 Insoumission Forum international des droits de L'Homme, Marrakech, Musée de la Palmeraie 2014 Musée de la Palmeraie, Marrakech 2013 Galerie Document 15, Paris 2012 Galerie 38, Casablanca Galerie Benamou, Paris 2011 Galerie Caprice Horn, Berlin Galerie Loft, Casablanca 2010 Galerie Atelier 21 AAART Foundation, Kitzbühel, Autriche 2009 53ème Biennale de VeniseVenice Biennale AAART Foundation - Autriche Galerie CMOOA, Rabat Galerie Delacroix, Tanger 2008 Galerie Atelier 21 - Casablanca Galerie Violon Bleu - Londres Galerie Navarra - 75 Faubourg, Paris Galerie Loft, Paris Galerie Bailly, Paris Fondation FAAP, Sao Paolo 2007 Siège Société Générale, Casablanca Galerie Nationale Bab Rouah, Rabat Galerie Noir sur blanc, Marrakech Palais des Congrès, Grasse Le Lazaret Olandini, Ajaccio 2006 Kasbah Agafay, Marrakech Galerie Venise Cadre, Casablanca Galerie les Atlassides, Marrakech 2005 Galerie Venise-Cadre, Casablanca Galerie Atlassides, Marrakech Musée Archéologique de Silves Eglise de la Miséricorde, Silves Gemap, Casablanca 2004 Arte Invest, Rome Festival Arte Mare Bastia Bellas Artes, Madrid Galerie Atalante, Madrid Galerie Brigitte Schenk, Köln 2003 Espace Actua, Casablanca Galerie Bab el kebir, Rabat Galerie AAM, Rome Studio Bocchi, Rome Fundacione Maturen, Tarazona. Galerie Baskoa, Barcelonne. Kunst Köln, Galerie Brigitte Schenk 2002 Galerie Dahiez & Associés, Zurich Galerie Brigitte Schenk, Köln Musée de Marrakech Société Générale Marocaine, Casablanca Institut Cervantes, Tanger Galerie Brigitte Schenk, Kunst Köln Ministère de la culture, Abu Dhabi 2001 Tinglado 4 Moll de Costa, Taragone Palais des congrès, Grasse. 2000 Espace Paul Ricard, Paris Galerie El Manar, Casablanca 1999 Galerie Stendhal, New York Galerie du Fleuve, Paris Galerie Brigitte Shenk, Köln 1998 Galerie Ott, Düsseldorf Museum of Contemporary Art, Washington D.C. 1997 Galerie Stendhal, New York. 1989 Contemporary French Art Gallery, New York 1988 Galerie la Découverte, Rabat 1987 Galerie de L'ONMT, Paris
