ARTS GARDEN

That was a little garden…

The piece of land is a triangle between Avenue Mohamed V and Avenue Guemassa, on the edge of Guéliz, the modern district of Marrakech. On one side, the carriage-horses rest and take a drink. Another side looks out over the ramparts of the medina entrance. This small square, once insignificant and not well maintained, has become a pleasant place for walking and thinking.

 

 

2016 : Climate Conference held in Marrakech

It is indeed, on the occasion of the COP 22, which took place in Marrakech in November 2016, that the garden of sculptural works was created. Between the benches, palm trees and a drawn vegetation, the artists expressed themselves around imposed themes : Ecology, environment, planet safeguarding.

At the edge of the field, like a gateway, we notice a terrestrial globe that a man holds in his arms with strength and fervor.

 

 

 

 

This sculpture by Mahi Binebine, entitled “Don’t touch my world” clearly announces the purpose of the Garden of the Arts.  Moreover, the Moroccan writer and artist is also at the initiative of the project.

Of course, the works challenge and nourish our feelings and sensitivity to environmental issues. The modes and means of artists are very diverse.

 

European artists

 

The Italian artist Nicola Salvatore, who lives and works in Como, proposes a whale caged “Between the two red columns”. His work has always been guided by his interest in biodiversity and the preservation of species.

 

 

Yasmina Alaoui, a Franco-Moroccan artist, considers the frantic quest for precious metals.

 

 

The sculpture opposes concrete and gold-painted metal.

 

 

If you look up well, you can see on the trunk of a false palm tree the big “beastie” by Jean-François Fourtou. The French artist, who lives and works in Marrakech, likes to  play with proportions and large sizes. Fortunately, his climbing ant is made of metal !

 

 

Moroccan artists in the spotlight

Fatiha Zemmouri, a Moroccan visual artist, continues to explore the matter.

 

 

She carved corals in her metal circle.

 

 

With Abdelhafiz Takorait and his sculpted wooden silhouettes , the change of material is radical . The sculpture with its mysterious title evokes totems.

 

 

A committee of artists composed of Rachid Assiraj, Doha Safraoui and Mohamed Imaghrak sculpted a globe with recycled bicycle wheels. The monumental work aims to raise awareness about sustainable development and life cycles. The effect is guaranteed !

 

 

 

 

 

Hassan Bourkia, a Moroccan writer and multi-faceted visual artist from El Ksiba and Marrakech, presents his “Tree of life”. Three trees, one olive tree and two desert spoons, questioning resistance and sustainability of species.

 

 

The sculptor and melter, Karim Alaoui, originally from Casablanca but now settled in Essaouira, has set up his “Pyramid of acrobat athletes”. A tribute to life and energy !

 

 

 

Abdelkrim Ouazzani, from Tetouan, is an artist with a deliberately naive or childish language. His polychrome, whimsical and playful statues are no less full of poetry. For the theme imposed in the Jardin des Arts, he puts a  green lung in a blue closed bottle .

 

 

 

Mohamed Melehi’s work also tells about the air, with his sculpture “Signal CO2”

 

 

 

The air we breathe, the polluted atmosphere, and climate change were widely discussed during this COP 22 in Marrakech in 2016. Ten years later, there is still a long way to go before humans can contribute to improving the quality of their environment. May art help reflection, awareness, and finally action !

 

 

Do not hesitate to visit the Jardin des Arts. We must salute the initiative despite some uncertainties… The place may still be a bit too discreet. Its maintenance could be better considerated… Some works did not withstand the test of time or climate? One can deplore the absence of appropriate signage. The works deserve to be titled and attributed, so the artists should be mentioned. Render unto Caesar…

To conclude, I can agree with this collective message from these artists:

Don’t touch my world !