Archive for January, 2016

The Moroccan Art Scene, Post Independence Moroccan Artists

Friday, January 15th, 2016
Hassan Hajjaj, Marrakech Artist

Hassan Hajjaj, Marrakech Artist

 

 

 

 

 

The Moroccan  Contemporary Art Scene, post-independence, is much sought after and has gained popularity over the recent years given its varied mix of forward thinking and experimental painters, sculptors, fashion designers, and craftsmen. Morocco’s contemporary art scene had a boost with the opening of some significant public-funded and private galleries as well as some key exhibitions showcasing Moroccan modern art abroad. Although foreign and diaspora collectors have always been important, Nadia Echiguer, Director of UK-based art dealers, Moroccan Fine Art, explains the role of a developing economy in the promotion and sale of contemporary artwork in Morocco itself. “Before, only private and public institutions were buying artworks. The trend has changed as private Moroccan collectors are showing a keen interest in art,” thanks to a booming economy that has seen an increase in the size and the wealth of the Moroccan middle class.

Mohammed Melehi, Asiliah

Mohammed Melehi, Asiliah

 

 

 

 

 

Reflecting the increasing domestic interest in contemporary art, two large projects opened in Rabat and Marrakech. The MMVI Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art opened in Rabat, in October 2014 with an exhibition of over 400 works by more than 150 Moroccan artists, entitled “1914-2014: One hundred years of creation.” Over in Marrakech, seen by many as a more creative centre compared to Rabat, the Marrakech Museum for Photography and Visual Arts (MMP+) opened in September 2013 in temporary accommodation at the Badii Palace. A purpose-built venue designed by British architect Sir David Chipperfield is due to open in 2016, the same year as the 6th Marrakech Biennale (24 February – 8 May 2016).

Fatima Ettalbi, Essaouira Artists

Fatima Ettalbi, Essaouira Artists

 

 

 

 

 

Following Moroccan independence in 1956, many artists and intellectuals sought to claim a modern Moroccan cultural identity to banish the euro-centrism of the French colonial power or an orientalist over-emphasis on the naive or folkloric aspects of Moroccan art. At the same time, many artists could not and would not deny the influence of these more traditional arts and crafts on their work. As the swinging 60s drew on into the 1970s, despite the former colonial experience, there was much intellectual and artistic interchange between Morocco and Europe, in particular France. In addition, Moroccan artists exchanged ideas and philosophies with visiting Beat Poets (for example, in Tangiers) and international musicians and artists who passed through the country (including the Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix and others). Slowly, however, Moroccan artists developed an “exploratory intuition” according to Moroccan philosopher El Jabri and a “modernity” in the Moroccan artistic experience was born.

Myriam Mourabit, Casablanca Artist

Myriam Mourabit, Casablanca Artist

 

 

 

 

During the 1980s, these issues of collective identity became less evident as Moroccan artists gained the confidence to forge their own styles and open their horizons beyond questions of a Moroccan or Arab style. At the same time, they left behind occidental models and themes and began to explore their creativity as individuals. This desire to carve one’s own niche as an artist, one who happens to be Moroccan, characterized strongly the closing decades of the 20th century.

Today, at the start of the 21st century, many young Moroccan artists are experimenting with new twists on old techniques and traditions against the backdrop of greater use of modern communications technology. Key themes in this era reflect the realities of modern life for young Moroccans: immigration, globalization, urbanization and the cultural references of the past.

The Moroccan art scene has a number of key creative centers. Many artists have emerged from the large conurbations of Casablanca or Marrakech or the traditional heartland of Moroccan crafts, Fes. However, Tetouan – with its Institute of Fine Arts – and Essaouira – with its nexus of auto-didactic artists are two particular poles.

Written by Lynn Sheppard 

Lynn Sheppard has lived in Essaouira, on Morocco’s Atlantic Coast for more than 2 years, supporting local non-profits, writing and becoming an expert on all things Swiri (ie. Essaouiran). She blogs at Maroc-phile.com and for other travel industry clients.

For more information about the Moroccan Art Scene or a Morocco Art Private Tour

Morocco’s Imperial Cities, Seaside Resorts,Sahara Desert,Berber villages, A Taste of Morocco, Magical Kasbahs, Ruins & Waterfalls, Absolute Morocco, The Best of Marrakech, Fes, and Ouarzazate

Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel Exploration
Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel.  We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or + 1 (212) 618882681 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

Five Signs You’ve Fallen in Love with Morocco

Wednesday, January 13th, 2016

 

Sahara Desert Morocco Travel

Sahara Desert Morocco Travel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Morocco is a country a person can easily fall in love with, whether you’re on a travel adventure for a short trip or you’re lucky enough to stay longer. Morocco is an amazing country, no matter where you visit—bustling Marrakech, scenic Chefchaouen, historic Fez, the grand Sahara and all points in between. Beginning with the sights, sounds, tastes and the exotic scents, there’s plenty in Morocco to experience that you will not want to leave behind. From the Atlas Mountains to the Atlantic Coast and from the Great Sahara to Marrakech there are many things to see and do in Morocco.

Moroccan Market Places

Moroccan Market Places

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Five Signs that you have fallen in love with Morocco are:

#1: The Magical Colors of Morocco that you just cannot seem to get out of your head: There’s color everywhere in Morocco. Wander through the busy medinas and markets places, and take in the kaleidoscopic array of goods for sale. Watch the sky turn countless shades of color during a desert sunset before it fades to a million stars at night under the Arabian sky. Get lost in the myriad of colors found in the patterns of Moroccan zellij tile that decorate Moroccan palaces and mosques. Take a trip to the blue washed city of Chefchaouen with its maze of tiny streets, hidden alleys, and indigo blue houses perched atop the old city. You’re sure to return home feeling as though everywhere else pales in comparison to a Morocco adventure.

Moroccan Food and Drink

Moroccan Food and Drink

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#2: Your Moroccan cookbook has become your best friend. In Marrakech, Fes and other Moroccan cities, you are simply spoiled for choice when it comes to food. There are plenty of offerings from around the world. What really shines though is the Moroccan food and drink—from a warm bowl of B’ssara (a flavorful broad bean soup) at breakfast to sugary mint tea in the afternoon with freshly made Msemen, a Moroccan flatbread. You know that Moroccan food goes far beyond the popular couscous, but a good couscous dish never hurts to dine on either, particularly on Fridays, the Moroccan day of prayer.

Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca

Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#3: You can’t stop talking about the incredible experiences you had on your trip. Morocco has it all, from sandy deserts, rocky landscapes, and an impressive Atlas Mountains to sweeping Mediterranean beaches along with ancient cities. There are plenty of things to do in Morocco and you made a point of experiencing many of them. Whether you took a camel ride and camped out under the stars, did some trekking in the Atlas mountains, spent your time tanning on the beaches of Essaouira, visited a traditional Berber village or whatever else— you know your friends are jealous and with good reason. When you’re not regaling them with stories of your trip, you’re looking back through your photos for the ten-thousandth time to reminisce, trying to convince them to visit Morocco.

Ait Benhaddou Ksar, Ouarzazate Region

Ait Benhaddou Ksar, Ouarzazate Region

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#4: You know there’s no place on earth that’s quite the same, as Morocco. Medieval Europe had its forts, but nothing quite like the ksars, or fortified cities, that you find in Southern Morocco. Aït Benhaddou is, the most famous ksar, having been featured in Game of Thrones, Gladiator among other blockbuster films and television series. There’s plenty of history throughout the country to immerse yourself in whether you are visiting on a family Morocco adventure, a honeymoon or with friends. Up close encounters such as having tea with Nomad families, in remote mountain regions, and the traveling by 4×4 through the Old Road of the Caravans evokes 1001 Arabian nights romantic fantasies of life on the road. From the old world marketplaces in small desert towns to the feeling of being in the middle of nowhere, one finds themselves steeped in a richness and depth of an old world culture. There’s no place on earth that’s quite like Morocco. Visit Morocco and you will never feel the same again!

#5: You’re already planning your return trip to Morocco. Chances are, that first trip you took to Morocco wasn’t enough and neither was the second, the third or the fourth. Maybe you’re still waking up to the phantom sound of prayer-calls before dawn or images of desert sky and sweeping Sahara sand dunes just will not leave your mind’s eye. Whatever it is, Morocco has pulled you in and now has a place in your heart.

Have you been to Morocco? What’s your favorite memory from your trip? Share your stories and tips in the Comments!

Written by Jess 

Jess travel writer who loves global adventures. She has been traveling for close to a decade nd has no plans to stop anytime soon! Jess fell in love with Morocco from her first visit and hopes you will fall in love with the beautiful country too.

For more information about Things to do in Morocco

For those who have fallen in love with Morocco come Honeymoon in Morocco

Morocco’s Imperial CitiesSeaside Resorts,Sahara Desert,Berber villagesA Taste of MoroccoMagical Kasbahs, Ruins & WaterfallsAbsolute Morocco, The Best of MarrakechFes, and Ouarzazate

Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel Exploration
Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel. We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or + 1 (212) 618882681 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

Morocco Family Vacation, Kid Friendly Travel

Thursday, January 7th, 2016

Morocco Family Vacation, Sahara Desert Adventure, Photograph by Rusk Elatassi

Morocco Family Vacation, Sahara Desert Adventure, Photograph by Rusk Elatassi

 

Morocco is the perfect country to travel for families who are considering a place to visit for spring break. A Morocco family vacation  during spring break guarantees a great adventure and an insightful cultural experience for families with children of all ages. Morocco is a kid friendly destination. Morocco’s expansive landscapes provide a wide array of adventure travel opportunities for families such as hiking, biking, trekking, camel trekking, zip lining, eating, surfing and swimming. Morocco’s temperate climate year-round makes it easy for families with a limited time frame who are traveling from the USA and Europe to reach. Morocco is just 7 1/2 hours from New York’s John F Kennedy Airport,  a 3 1/2 hour Easy jet stretch from Paris and an 1 hour from Madrid via Iberia Airlines. Families in search of a child-friendly destination need to look no further then Morocco.

Morocco Family Vacation, Djemaa El Fna Square Waterman, Photograph by Rusk Elatassi

Morocco Family Vacation, Djemaa El Fna Square Waterman, Photograph by Rusk Elatassi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On a Morocco family vacation, parents can anticipate a jam-packed travel itinerary that includes a mix of site seeing in ancient cities, exploration of the souks and marketplaces, visiting magical gardens and UNESCO Heritage sites, seeing wild monkeys and barbary apes in Ifrane’s cedar forest, hiking across High Atlas Mountains and through Berber Villages, Sipping Tea with a Berber Family, participating in private family henna party and watching the snake charmers at sunset in Marrakech’s Djemaa el Fna Square. A Morocco family adventure vacation is not complete without traveling in a four-wheel drive across the Moroccan Sahara Desert and a 1001 Arabian Nights Morocco experience in the heart of the Erg Chebbi dunes at a traditional desert camp.

Perhaps one of the best surprises of all during a Morocco family vacation is the opportunity to enjoy stays at charming boutique riads that are well appointed in the old city bustling medinas with maze-like streets, colorful alley ways filled with craftsman, street food vendors, gardens, Islamic architecture,  and terraces with dream-like city scapes.

The best time to travel to Morocco for a family vacation is March and April along with October, November, and December. Spring break, Easter holiday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are when Morocco’s weather is extremely temperate and local festivities and adventure tie in with school schedules.

Morocco Family Vacation, Marrakech Monkeys, Photograph by Rusk Elatassi

Morocco Family Vacation, Marrakech Monkeys, Photograph by Rusk Elatassi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 5 Best Adventure Activites on a Morocco Family Vacation are: 

Family Vacation in Morocco – Adventure Tour Highlights

Zip line across the Atlas Mountains

Camel Trek in the Sahara Desert

Hot Air Balloon over Marrakech

Bread bake with a Berber family

Attend a traditional Fantasia Horse show in the Marrakech Palmeraie

For more information about the Family Vacations in Morocco and Family Adventure Tours

Morocco’s Imperial CitiesSeaside Resorts,Sahara Desert,Berber villagesA Taste of MoroccoMagical Kasbahs, Ruins & WaterfallsAbsolute Morocco, The Best of MarrakechFes, and Ouarzazate

Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel Exploration
Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel. We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or + 1 (212) 618882681 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.