Moroccan Medinas. The Colors and Shadows of Life.

A medina, "Madīnah" in classical Arabic, is simply the old and usually walled city. The medinas are not unique of Morocco and are found in many other North African cities. This part of the city is characterized by its very narrow and labyrinthine streets almost completely free of cars and contains mosques, madrassas, souks etc. Medinas have an almost magical atmosphere where colors make the difference. These colors give each medina its own distinctive character: from the blues of Chefchaouen, Larache, Essaouira to the ochres of Meknes and Fez. From the pinks of Marrakech and Tiznit to the whites of Azemmour, Moulay Idriss, Tetuan and Asilah. Despite these color differences, two qualities are shared by all Moroccan medinas: the wonderful light that is able to sneak through the narrow alleys and the timeless atmosphere. The medinas are ageless. Despite the disturbing advance of modernity, the impact of tourism and new western inhabitants, they remain almost unchanged. The medinas are the heart and soul of Moroccan cities. The atmosphere of the bustling streets hopelessly caught and seduced me. This project aims to be a portrait of daily life on those streets through chromaticism and light.