At the gates of the desert, in the province of Ouarzazate, the Kafila caravan organized by the French Institute of Morocco offered a dive into a nomadic artistic residence. For thirty days, from March 10th to April 10th, 2023, twelve Moroccan and French artists, accompanied by eleven cameleers traveled 300 kilometers on a route taken for millennia by nomadic populations.
A physical challenge, an extreme experience in the desert, a bivouac in the evening, and 5 to 6 hours of walking per day.
A photographer by profession, Houda Kabbaj specializes in minerals and stones. A roll of tracing paper inspired her to create a parchment instead of taking photos as she usually does: “I had the idea to make a parchment with a roll of tracing paper. Anthropologists often use carbon paper to rub engravings out of stone, and I have done the same.”
During their walk, the residents trod a ground full of stories. These thousand-year-old caravan routes, the performance artist Jenny Abouav drew inspiration from these for her future performance: “I was most impressed by the camel drivers who accompanied us. Incorporating their bodies and gestures, whether it is loading with camels, cooking, or walking. It is also important to consider the approach. And with all these bodies that have crossed these spaces, all this very charged history of the ancestors.”
After this journey, each of the artists leaves with a wealth of images and sensations that will materialize into an artistic project in the coming months.