On April 17th, fifteen members of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art embarked on a two-week journey through the magical country of Morocco, joined by tour lecturer Kenneth Perkins, Princeton Ph.D. and professor emeritus of history at the University of South Carolina. Ken and local guide Hussein Baddouj provided the perfect balance of historical knowledge and local wisdom.
We found ourselves fully engaged in the history of Casablanca, the wonders of Tangier, the capital Rabat, the millennium-old medina in Fez, and the intrigue of Marrakech. Days were spent at mosques, souks, and small village towns, with leisurely lunches of tagines, pastilla, Moroccan salads, and free-flowing mint tea.
A highlight of the trip was the opportunity to meet with local residents. In the home of an Italian fashion designer, we caught a glimpse of the deep social bonds shared by the expatriate community of Tangier. In Marrakech we dined with a Moroccan family in their beautiful home and were invited by their daughter to her art gallery the following day, where two well-known contemporary Moroccan artists were installing an upcoming exhibition. Our most delightful private visit was to the home of Mohammed Abbadi, whose grandfather was legal advisor to King Mohammed V and tutor to the future Hassan II. Mr. Abbadi shared stories of his family and his love for Fez, over a delicious meal cooked by the same woman who was his nanny as a little boy.
Morocco is an open-air, living museum and we found art everywhere: in the decorative zellij tile work, Berber crafts, gardens, Islamic architecture, and emerging contemporary art scene. Enriched by the insights of Dr. Perkins and Hussein, we left with an appreciation for this country, a greater knowledge of it, and a thirst for further understanding.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment