From October 18th to 28th, the Jardin d’Essais of Rabat (JEB, Rabat, Morocco), one of the most prominent Med-O-Med members, will host the first edition of the ephemeral exhibition “Etat d’urgency d’instants poétiques” (State of emergency of the poetic moments). FUNCI has participated in this artistic demonstration with a series of guided visits to JEB’s Andalusi garden and to its Museum on water in Al-Andalus, organized in the Maison Mauresque.
During these days, the botanical garden has become the temporary home of artists linked with poetry, plastic art and photography. Inspired by the wonderful garden of the Alaui capital, these artists exhibit their works enigmatically across the foliage, for the strollers to discover.
Calmness and opulence
Among the different artists present we find M’Barek Bouhchichi, Hervé Bernard, Khalil El Ghrib, Laila Hida, Chourouk Hriech, Safaa Mazirh, Youssef Ouchra, Amine Oulmakki, Fatima Zahra Salih and Zouheir Atbane. Seduced by the calm and botanical opulence that spreads throughout the almost seven hectares that conform the inferior of the Jardin d’Essais, the artists have made their mark among the palm trees, the Andalusia garden’s walls of cypresses, its meadows, and bamboo avenues.
Among the activities associated with this event, organized by the cultural coordinator, Bouchra Saleh, we might highlight the conference given by the landscape gardener Mounia Bennani, who spoke at length on urbanism and the gardens of Rabat, especially on the history of the JEB. This garden was built by the great French landscape gardener Jean Nicolas Forestier at the beginning of the 20th century. This acclimatization botanical garden, associated to the INRA (Institut National de la Recherche agronomique) was part of the “green” plan launched by the French Marshal Lyautey, responsable for Morocco’s colonization. Bennani has recently published a very interesting book under the title “Villes-paysages du Maroc”.
Exotic fruits
The conference given by French gardener Jean-Yves Maisonneuve, “Secrets of the exotic fruits”, also shined out. It was organized by the Institute French in Rabat. Maisonneuve is known especially for his work on the Garden of Pomone, in La Fayolle., as well as for his many publications on this topic.
Next 23rd, the French plastic artist Hervé Bernard will organize a workshop under the name “Image and reality, but, what reality?”.
According to Bouchra Salih, this event challenges the relation between work and public and confirms that artistic creation is an essential component of society. Its goal is to back and promote artistic diversity, and to share it with the different audiences.
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