Go Wild for Museums

Casablanca: Villa des Arts is a converted art deco (1930's) building and well worth the trip to see for the building alone.  Currently used as an exhibition space.

Villa des Arts Casablanca

Rabat: Oudaias Museum is a little gem, situated in the larger complex of Mouley Ishmail's 17^th lodge and gardens.  The most interesting exhibit was the jewellery collection arranged in styles typical to various areas in Morocco.  (Sadly, no photos allowed). 

Oudaias Museum Rabat

Marrakesh: Private museum, Maison Tiskiwin (Bert Flint collection). A textile lover's heaven with some stunning examples.

Maison Tiskiwin Marrakesh

Marrakesh: Jardin Marjorelle, the former studio of French artist Jacques Marjorelle is a combination of sensory gardens, vividly painted buildings and a museum of textiles and clothing. 

Jardin Marjorelle Marrakesh

Chefchaouen: Small but interesting collection housed inside the Kasbah.  We found some rather nice samples of embroidery and costume.

Kasbah Chefchaouen

El Khorbat: Located in the Todra Valley, this amazing ksah (fortress) at Tinejdad houses an extensive Berber Museum.  It is well worth investigating if only to get lost in the maze of rooms inside the complex.  (We had lunch here and agreed that it would be a wonderful place to have stayed  - maybe next time! Info link for gite and museum.)

El Khorbat

A short but reasonable summary of Moroccan Museums that I found useful when planning our visit can be found here. 

Go Wild for Souks

Chefchaouen - of course! Selling dyes and things you didn't know you needed!

Who could forget Beautiful Blue Chefchaouen - the buzz, freshness, aromas, haggling, laughter, music, pursuit and finally "balak!".

And then there were the olives & lemons in Meknes

Yes, in the medina's we met snake oil salesmen and wondered about the prices we really paid.  But we also met some wonderful people who are involved in their crafts, sell the most amazing things, willing to give us advice or help us along the way.

Keep an eye out for donkeys, carts, busy workers and elaborate stalls. Get lost in narrow streets and listen to passing musicians.  Try not to find pick-pockets.  Look out for traditional crafts too and watch dyers working vats of rainbow colours next to metal workers and potters making extraordinary magic with simple implements.  A souk is guaranteed to assault your senses and is such a wonderful experience.  

Henna Hands & Black Soap in Essaouira

Give yourself a real workout.  Shop in an old medina souk... 

Nose to Nose with a donkey - balak!! (lookout) in Fes

Invest in Tradition

Traditional motifs – bright geometric patterns, natural dyes, symbols with meaning

Essaouira

Traditional crafts – pottery, woodcarving (thuya wood), lanterns, carpets, tents, rugs & slippers, medicinal herbs & treatments

Cracking nuts for argan oil

Traditional architecture - Walls, arches, towers, windows, doors, door knobs, signs, mud bricks (pise), shutters

Marrakesh

Casablanca

Go Wild for Decorative Detail

What best says "Morocco"? 

Hotel Caspien, Marrakesh

An intricate woven carpet, a pile of patterned floor cushions or a leather ottoman or two, wooden side tables, intricately carved in dark timber or lavishly painted, and a feature, like the stairs above, of tiles.  

Hotel Al Mamoun, Casablanca

I’d like a fountain, a steaming silver teapot (with mint tea of course) and a huge lantern set with colourful glass.  Add a tagine or two or a patterned bowl, slip on a pair of babouches (slippers) and you will instantly be transported back to the old Medina in Fes.

Meknes

Dar Ech-Chaouen, Chefchaouen

And finally, the ultimate in "can I bring one home with me?" hot-to-have items... a cute little donkey, like this little guy we met at Ait Benhhadou

Go Wild for Pattern

Colour not necessary.  Hussan II Mosque, Casablanca

Islamic religion is fundamental to Islamic art.  To a large extent, art and craft making centred around the mosque and supported its embellishment.  Religious principles forbade image-making in religious (but not necessarily secular*) art.  Artists therefore developed designs based on Arabic script, geometry and plant forms.  Designs were elaborate, heavily ornate and flowing.   Strong colours and use of inlaid metals, which added jewel-like highlights, further enriched these designs.   The Arabic mastery of pattern was, and still is, unrivalled.  

* Hence human figures and animals are seen in, for example, Mughal (Indian) miniatures.

Carpet in Chefchaouen Kasbah Museum

Aside from the distinct architecture of the mosque, artists and craftsmen applied themselves to ornamentation, and along the way mastered technical skills. Carpets, glazed tiles, ceramics, textiles, metalwork, woodwork, glass, plaster, bookbinding and illustration became typical platforms for non-representational pattern.  Of particular note is Islamic calligraphy, used in inventive ways to transcribe a verse from the Qu'ran or perhaps poetry.  Like Sufi music, the artist or those viewing the art, are inpired and led closer to their faith.

Tiles & Mosaics.  Who could stop at just one in Fes?

Islamic pattern is influenced by many countries so it is worth noting the specific Berber influence on designs produced in Morocco. Tiles, carpets and ceramics are noteworthy for being bold and colourful.

Ceramics.  On the wall in Meknes

Slightly sidetracked but I think it is always worth knowing the history and tradition behind the present day offering of fabulous Moroccon pattern and design... 

Eye Candy.  Bahia Palace of Brilliance

Go Wild for Colour

Chefchaouen

Much has been written on colour and there are some great books & web sites designed to help quilters make their choices. However, Morocco encourages you to be bold.  It’s like spring cleaning your favourites (and your mindset), then rethinking what you know and are game to try.

Fes

To begin, it's worth deciding on the look you are trying to achieve.  Research helps with this.  We have art history books full of “movements” or schools of thought and the various colour schemes they supported.  What colour personality are you?  Do you prefer pastels, jewels, intense, vivid or contrasting palettes? 

Traditional Berber Blue in Merzouga

Morocco encourages us to try a palette of deep saturated hues of blue, purples, dark reds, oranges and gold.  Add highlights of pale blues, earthy browns, dusky yellows, leafy greens and dusky pinks.  Perhpas you could limit your choices to two dominant colours and mix in three as accents to add sparkle.   White can add freshness or black moodiness to your scheme.

Sahara Sunrise

It is also worth mentioning that colour has meaning in Morocco.  Simplistically, green is the colour of Islam and blue wards off evil spirits, including mosquitos... 

Ait Benhaddou

Go Wild for Morocco

Tiles (in Casablanca)

Having not long returned from my first trip to Morocco, I am brave enough to try adding a few “elements” of their style to my quilting.  Needless to say, there is a lot to work with so it should keep me amused for some time.

Traditional Architecture (in Todra Gorge)

Moroccan style has been called exotic, sultry, bold and exciting.  Yes, it is all this and more.  The best way to handle this bubbling cauldron of jewel tones, complex pattern and decorative detail is to study books and photographs, noting dominant and secondary colours, traditional shapes, and unexpected use of textures.  Better still, take a trip and if you can stop for just a second or two to draw up some ideas in your journal, then power to you. 

Dinner (in Ait Benhaddou)

Rather than reducing the next few posts to lessons on art principles, I’ll just paste up a selection of photos that inspired me.  Take to your books, colour chips and fabric stash – it’s time to challenge yourself.  You won’t be alone.  Kaffe Fassett , Yves St Laurent, Picasso, Matisse, Monet and many others have been inspired by Morocco. 

Dance (in Midelt)

Learn a little about the culture here or read any travel guide book to better understand the Arab and Berber core of Morocco’s cultural identity.   To get you primed for your “journey”, listen to this wonderful music clip.  

(And if you are interested in details of our trip, find them here on Windjammer3.)

Everyday Life (in Essaouira)