Mmorocco

Promoting Visual Arts in Marrakech

The very words 'Morocco' and 'Marrakech' conjure up visions of glamorous, exotic and mysterious locations, so it’s no wonder that many foreign films have been shot on location in this fascinating North African country over the decades since moving pictures became a popular means of entertainment. The Lumière brothers of France are believed to have been the earliest filmmakers in history, and their 1897 film Le chevalier Marocain was based in Morocco.

As an institution of higher education, the Marrakech School of Visual Arts (L'École supérieure des arts visuels de Marrakech) is dedicated to training students for careers in television, film and visual communications such as multimedia design and graphic arts, promoting these skills on the African continent. Most often referred to as ESAV Marrakech, the Marrakech School of Visual Arts also promotes cultural and social diversity, with students primarily from Africa, the Maghreb and the Middle East. As a partnership with the University Cadi Ayyad of Marrakech, the school was founded in 2006 by the Susanna Biedermann Foundation of Switzerland, and runs as a non-profit organization.

The school complex includes two film set studios with multi-camera facilities and a 210-seat movie theater. A sound-proofed auditorium and sound-proofed recording studio, along with twenty editing rooms, seven sound recording units, five DV cam filming units, fifteen HD cam filming units, large screen projection, artist workshops and Mac Pro-equipped graphic art studios, are among the facilities offered to students. Each year entrance evaluations are held in Paris, Marrakech and ten other locations in the Middle East and Africa. Applicants need a bachelor's degree, and with an independent scholarship fund available, students are selected on their abilities and not their financial or social status.

Led by Moroccan curator and historian, Abdellah Karroum, ESAV collaborates with Rabat-based The Apartment 22 and other institutes to host an annual meeting creating a platform for the university and the professional world of art, both national and international, to meet and share knowledge and experiences regarding the arts.

With the Marrakech International Film Festival (Festival International du Film de Marrakech) set to take place from November 30 through to December 08, 2012, clearly Morocco is on the international map in the realms of visual art in all its forms.

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Harnessing the Power of the Sun in Morocco

In mid-2010, Africa's largest wind farm was inaugurated in Northern Morocco by King Mohammed VI. Located around 34 kilometers from Tangiers, in Melloussa, the wind farm was the beginning phase of a larger plan to harness the power of the sun and wind as a renewable, environment-friendly source of power. Stretching over a distance of 42 km, 165 wind turbines, together with a smaller wind farm that has been running for some time, will have the capacity to provide energy that would translate into a saving of up to 126,000 metric tons of oil per year, making a significant contribution to the reduction of CO2 emissions in Morocco.

In November 2012 it was reported that the European Investment Bank, along with other investors, have made a commitment to provide financing for up to half the cost of the development of a huge solar complex in Ouarzazate. Agreements have been signed with MASEN – Morocco's public-private solar energy agency – for the first phase of the project. Morocco has plans to become a substantial renewable energy producer, with the aim of exporting renewable energy to European countries, with nearby Spain having expressed an interest in obtaining its energy from Morocco.

Other organizations involved in the Moroccan solar power project include the World Bank and the African Development Bank. A Saudi-based consortium has been appointed to construct the first phase of the solar power plant at an estimated cost of close to $1 billion, which is set to be completed toward the end of 2014. The initial phase will have the capacity to generate 160-megawatts of power, with a second phase to bring capacity up to 500 megawatts planned for completion by 2020.

In a country with an abundance of sunshine – up to 3,000 hours per year - it makes sense to tap into the sun's energy as a source of power, particularly with ongoing advances in solar energy technology making this a very viable proposition. The long-term goal is to have five solar power plants generating 2,000 megawatts of electricity by 2020, which would supply roughly 20 percent of Morocco's electricity needs.

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cultural values through traditional arts and crafts

Promoting cultural values through traditional arts and crafts

cultural values through traditional arts and crafts

Baked by the Sahara sun and washed by the Mediterranean Sea, Morocco conjures up its own exotic allure. Its rich cultural stew combines Moorish, Spanish, French and Arab influences. In Moroccan décor, color is key. Vibrant jewel tones range from intense crimson to shimmering gold. Rich colors like deep cabernet, luminescent emerald and turquoise set off against soft earth tones like terra cotta and sandstone. Geometric patterns, beading and embroidery illuminate fabrics.

Adding structural elements like carved trunks, traditional tea tables and colored glass lanterns can help transform your surroundings into your own personal oasis.

The aim of Moroccan Design © is to valorize and disseminate the Moroccan cultural heritage through Handicrafts & Exotic Interiors. This unique form of design and architecture inherited from the mutual and fertile influences of the Hispano-Moorish culture still lives on in Morocco and has become one of the World’s most popular interior styles, combining rich colors, intricate designs and high quality craftsmanship.

Moroccan Design © specializes in the importation of exotic hand made decorations and furnishings that reflect the rare heritage of this unique craftsmanship. We provide an exclusive range of indoor/outdoor furniture, ceramics, lanterns, rugs & carpets, pottery, ironwork, leather crafts and more.

We update our inventory regularly. If you don't see something you're looking for, let us know and we'll find it for you!

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