Morran Ben Lahcen was born in 1982 in Tahanouat and currently resides and works in Salé. He stands as a trailblazer among contemporary artists while maintaining a deep connection to his Moroccan roots without being confined by them.
Born on a farm, Morran recounts his early life with great emotion. I lived like Mowgli, he confides. Close to nature and left to his own devices, Morran developed a real passion for drawing. His curiosity then led him to discover other disciplines, and gradually to escape to cities where musical and artistic circles were wider and easier to access.
This quest led him to Casablanca, where his thoughts matured and gradually developed into a full-scale artistic project. Self-taught, he initially carves a path in the artistic landscape through street art. Success and recognition swiftly embraced him. However, Morran desires to explore different territories, once again refusing to be solely labelled as a "graffiti artist".
Life's trials lead him toward an art that resonates more profoundly with the person he has evolved into – a more intimate and demanding form of expression.
Memory and its variations, entanglements, the perception or apprehension of time, communication, the connection between entities and within being— all serve as profound sources of reflection that imbue his works from the conception and composition to the choice of materials, whether it be wool or horn, for instance.
One can likely discern the influence of his life experiences, with an obsession for the passage of time and the imperative to preserve memories. Many other existential questions form the basis of the abstraction and aesthetics in his works.