Culture Vultures Fez

1000 WORDS WORKSHOP WITH ROGER BALLEN IN MOROCCO, MAY 2012

jessiculture — Fri, 04 May 2012 20:22:29 +0000

1000 Words announces its fourth workshop. Following successes with Antoine d’Agata, Anders Petersen andErik Kessels we are proud to present Roger Ballen as the workshop leader for the next retreat in Fez, Morocco (5-9 May 2012).

“Somebody said my pictures are diamonds but they are diamonds with charcoal and carbon inside. What’s going on in the interior of that world is breakdown and chaos, but there is affection on the formal side. You constantly have to deal with these contradictions. They cause ambiguity, which is an important part of my art.” Roger Ballen

ROGER BALLEN:

Like most great artist-photographers Roger Ballen’s work is hard to define. Drawn from the documentary genre, Ballen has developed an approach all of his own. His photographs are complex tableaux of surreal and disturbing visions that attempt to reflect his own psyche, which he regards as revealing his existential journey in life. Focussing on the interactions between people, animals and objects that inhabit rooms – rooms that are typically squalid, their walls covered with scribbled drawings, stains and wire; their floors strewn with bizarre props and artefacts – Ballen stages unsettling scenarios that chafe on our subconscious.

Born in New York in 1950, Ballen has lived in Johannesburg, South Africa since the 1970’s. His work has been exhibited in many important institutions throughout the world and is housed in numerous museum collections including Victoria and Albert Museum in London, Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Centre George Pompidou in Paris. Ballen is represented by the Gagosian Gallery, Stills Gallery and Gallery Xavier Hufkens S.A. His books have received critical acclaim such as Platteland: Images from Rural South Africa (1994), Outland (2001), Shadow Chamber (2005) and his latest series Boarding House (2009).

ABOUT 1000 Words:

The organisation’s flagship is 1000 Words, an online magazine dedicated to contemporary photography in the UK and beyond. It reviews exhibitions and photobooks and publishes interviews, essays and multimedia. We are committed to showing the work of lesser-known but significant photographers alongside that of established practitioners in the aim of bringing their work to a wider audience. Often incredibly diverse in terms of subjects, concepts, styles and techniques whilst always foregrounding the subjectivity of documentary art photography, 1000 Words intends to explore the limits and possibilities of the medium.

http://1000wordsphotographymagazine.blogspot.com

Marche Maroc comes back to Fez

jessiculture — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 17:40:27 +0000

The United States Peace Corps and USAID welcome you to the annual Marché Maroc artisanal craft fair in historic Fès. The four-day fair begins Monday, April 23^rd, and ends Thursday, April 26^th, from 11:00 – 19:00 daily.

The craft fair will take place in the open-air courtyard of the Cultural Complex, Al Hourya, Avenue de la Palestine, in Fez Ville Nouvelle. The fair is next to the Imam Malik Mosque, within walking distance of Gare de Fès, and a short taxi ride from the old medina.

Marché Maroc Fès will showcase the work of diverse artisan groups from the various regions of Morocco. The artisans themselves will sell their goods in a comfortable, haggle-free atmosphere. Some of the artisans will demonstrate their craft at the fair—woodcarving, couscous rolling, wool spinning, and others.

This fair brings artisans directly to the customer in a market that is often dominated by middlemen. Products offered at the craft fair are guaranteed authentic and hand-made, and will be sold at fixed prices. This is an opportunity to support the culturally rich artisan community of Morocco and gain access to fine examples of the country’s handicrafts.

Although the craft fairs to date have been made possible largely due to the Peace Corps’ involvement, future fairs will be wholly artisan-run and organized. Peace Corps is transitioning out of its work in the small business development sector at year’s end.

The Marché Maroc series also organizes artisanal craft fairs in Marrakech, Rabat, and Essaouira.

The United States Peace Corps is a federal organization with more than 50 years of Volunteer service in countries around the world. Volunteers commit to 27 months of service in countries like Morocco and 78 others. The Peace Corps has a long and successful history of service in the Kingdom of Morocco.

Contemporary Spanish Crafts

jessiculture — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 16:01:42 +0000

Singular .es is a significant example of trades and crafts of various approaches coming out of Spain in the early 21^st century with a contemporary common thread. Traditional artisanal groups such as embroidery groups of Lagartera will be presented alongside the avant guard jewelry of Ramon Puig, contemporary textiles by KimaGuitart, Jordi young, Candela Cort and other contemporary makers and designers.

kimaguitart

Creativity, innovation, design, ability to convey emotion, to dream or smile and of course technical excellence are important criteria in selection. The body of works has been narrowed down to around 110 pieces. The opening will be presented by curator Laura Michael. This project is supported by Spanish Foundation for Innovation of Crafts and the Spanish and Moroccan Ministy of Culture as well as the Instituto Cervantes.

The show opens at the Instituto Cervantes Gallery, Fez, on the 22nd of March and runs for a month.

Fez Flamenco Festival II

jessiculture — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 12:47:25 +0000

The 2^nd Flamenco Festival of Fez will commence o the 2^nd of May and continue until the 5^th 2012. Young talent in Flamenco is the theme of this new event organized is by the Spanish Institute (Cervantes).

All concerts will be held in the evenings at the Houriya Complex Culturel in the new city.

Day Light Saving – Morocco 2012

jessiculture — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 11:50:24 +0000

Morocco to set daylight saving time from end of March to September

Morocco will annually set its clocks one hour ahead from the end of March to the end of September, except during the holy month Ramadan, the Government’s Council decided on Thursday.

The standard time will be resumed at 3:00 of the last Sunday in September, a draft decree adopted by the Government’s Council stipulates.

Speaking in this regard, Minister in charge of Civil Service and the Administration Modernization said that that daylight saving time will boost Morocco’s economic competitiveness through reducing energy consumption and facilitating transactions with foreign partners.

This timing, he said, would enable Morocco to save 140 megawatts at peak time, which in turn will have a positive impact on the environment and on the investments of Morocco’s electricity utility, ONE.

Rabat, March 08, 2012 (MAP)

Women’s Mirror Project

jessiculture — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 07:28:10 +0000

An unusual exhibition opens this Saturday, which offers a glimpse into how women living in the Fez region view their lives.

The Women’s Mirror exhibition opens on March 10 at 4pm at the ALIF Riad in the Fez Medina and continues until March 24. The aim is to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8 and give an opportunity to women living in the Fez region to share their daily lives, their feelings towards society and their hopes and dreams.

It has been organized by the ALIF-ALC Photography Club. (The Arabic Language Institute Fes and American Language Center Photography Club.)
The intention of The Women’s Mirror project is to give women, particularly those living in rural areas, the opportunity to express themselves and show what is important to them through the universal medium of photography, regardless of their level of education. It was originally brainchild of Omar Chennafi, convener for the ALIF-ALC Photography Club. ”Through these photographs, we can glimpse the real lives of these women and how they see themselves in society,” says Chennafi.

More than 20 disposable cameras were distributed to women in the Fes‐Boulemane region and using these they have taken a series of photographs, a selection of which will be displayed at the exhibition. To give an accurate picture of the socio-economic conditions of Moroccan women, the participants included Moroccan and foreign women of a range of ages, backgrounds, and different cultural levels, both from urban and rural areas.

For many of the participants, photography is an unusual activity. “By displaying these pictures, we can show them and the viewers of the exhibition that photography and art are open to everyone, whatever their means,” says Chennafi.

Chennafi says, “Members of the club have been involved at every level of the project, from finding the women to participate in the project, to distributing the cameras and giving instructions as to their use, collecting cameras, the development and selection of pictures and arranging for the display of the exhibition. The photos that are most relevant, intriguing, and exceptional have been selected for display.”

The main sponsor for the exhibition is the American Language Center Fez.
When: Women’s Mirror exhibition opens on Saturday March 10 from 4pm – 6pm.
It runs until March 24 from 3-5pm daily.

The Women’s Mirror free concert is at 6.30pm on Saturday, featuring American singer/songwriter Socorra Camposanto and Fez oud and guitar player Hosna el Hadi.

Where: ALIF Riad, Address: 6, Derb Drissi, Batha, Fez Medina
Contact: Omar Chennafi 0659661502 or email alifphotoclub@gmail.com

Thanks to the View from Fez for this article.

Up beat and on it – Collective 47

jessiculture — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 07:06:22 +0000

Collective 47

Collective 47 is a multi-disiplinary artistic company directed by Singhkeo PANYA, assembling musicians, actors, and video artists, French and Moroccan. Since 2002, Collective 47 gave rise to groups such as GettabanG, Eth, or Daba trio whose music takes as a starting point various styles (dub and ragas Indian, funk, rock’n'roll, afro-happy Nigerian, guembri gnawa, Tuareg blues and the Javanese gamelan).

The company presents concerts as well as theatre spectacles and circus. The Eth group in particular turned with ” Isli D Tislit” in 2011, the first contemporary circus performance under capital in Morocco produced by the Schoolof Circus Shemsy and put on the stage by Jaouad Essounani. Collective 47 currently prepares its new spectacle ” Mysteries of the West” the musical part will be presented in Fez at The French Institute / Dar Batha on Saturday the 10th of March at 7 p.m.

New Moroccan You Tube Channel…

jessiculture — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 22:58:25 +0000

Moroccan Muse is a new you tube channel offering on-liners tit bits and snippets from inside Morocco. Culture Vultures, the creator of this project, aims at offering the chance to feel, smell, taste and experience magical Moroccan moments from an artist’s view of her experience in and around Morocco.

Fez Tannery- The inside…

Excited by our rich surroundings and wanting to document and share our discoveries C.V. invites you to subscribe, share, tweet, tag, download and embed.

Aissawa Spirit to Overwhelm Meknes City

jessiculture — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 08:49:34 +0000

The city of Meknes will host the first edition of the National Festival of Aissawa Art under the theme “Heritage as a Mainstay for Advanced Regionalization” on February 24-25 at Faqih Mohammed al-Manouni Hall of the Regional Directorate of Culture starting from 6:30 pm.

AIssawa in Meknes

The festival’s organizers revealed on Tuesday the rich program they set for the event. More than 30 Aissawa orders will participate, such as Ouald Sheikh Kamel from Meknes, Ahl Touat Dar Damana from Ouazzane and Taaifa al-Aissawia from Fez, in addition to the great artists Abderrahim Souiri and al-Asri Orchestra.

Under the framework of the festival, a seminar will be held on “Forms of Popular Expressions in the Issmaili City: Issawa Order as a Model,” with Prof. Mohammed Amine, Prof. Mostafa Benfaida, Prof. Muley al-Hassam al-Bouyahyaoui al-Idrissi, Prof. Mohammed Amine al-Alaoui. The seminar will take place on Saturday, February 25, at 3 pm, in the meeting hall of the headquarters of the Council of Meknes-Tafilalt region. At the same time, there will be an art gallery for the prominent artist M’hammad Jacky Belhaj at the gallery of al-Manouni Hall.

The festival comes as an occasion to introduce and celebrate Aissawa art in Meknes and shed light on the cultural diversity and artistic richness of the city. It’s a festival that celebrates the genuine heritage and history of the region. The festival aims to reposition Aissawa art as a unique authentic art form that should be preserved and cherished by honoring its pioneers and professionals. At the same time, it seeks to encourage creative youth who are interested in this ancient artistic heritage.

Aissawa heritage is considered as one the most important local popular art forms. It not only characterizes the cultural and civilization diversity of Meknes-Tafilalt region, but also marks the lives of Moroccans as a means of expression and a tool of communication that is loaded with values of co-existence and tolerance. This cultural heritage has been maintained and passed on by countless generations throughout history.

Morocco World News By Nidal Chebbak

Fez, February 24, 2012

Festival of Sufi Culture 2012

jessiculture — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 10:13:45 +0000

Festival of Sufi Culture 2012

The 6^th Edition of the Festival of Sufi Culture will take the stage this April in a shortened version than preciously presented. From Thursday the 12^th to Saturday 14^th a series of round tables, conferences and concerts will take place. The theme of this years festival is Hakim – “Sufi Sapiens”

The venues have yet to be published but the a provisional program is as follows..

Thursday 12^th April

10 a.m. Official opening of the Festival.

11 a.m. Conference : the literature of Hakim in the Sufi tradition

4 p.m. Conference : Hakim and poetry in the works of Mohammed Iqbal

8.30 p.m. Concert by the Nidhamouddine Brotherhood from New Dehli India.

Friday 13^th April

10a.m. Conference : Hakim and the voice of spiritual chivalry (futuwwa)

4 p.m. Conference : Hakim and Culture

8.30 p.. Concert : Samaâ of Tariqa Khalwatiyya from Turkey

Tariqa Khalwatiyya Brotherhood

Saturday 14^th April

10 a.m. Conference : Can one teach Knowledge?

4 p.m. Round Table with Eva de Vitray Meyerovitch lecturer of Iqbal : l’Islam in mouvement

8.30.pm.m Closure concert : Arab/Andalusian and Samaa – with Sufi Brotherhoods from Morocco.

For more information see www.festivalculturesoufie.com