a street art oasis on the outskirts of marrakesh? that sounds like something out of a modern 1,001 nights, but it’s not! on my last trip to marrakesh, I was given the tip to visit this special place: a private property where renowned street art artists can live for extended periods of time to collaborate and exchange ideas. I’m aware of similar concepts in portugal (lac) and switzerland (myfinbec). photos of the jardin rouge on the internet were so promising that I immediately took up contact and arranged a visit to check out the place.
the jardin rouge property is located 20 km outside of marrakesh. on the way there, one goes through smaller villages, and now and then, street art also appears on the roadside. with the imposing atlas mountains in the background, one crosses a river before finding a long factory wall full of graffiti: 123klan, ceet, jace, tats cru and other artists have immortalized themselves here. but this is just the beginning. a glance to the right promises even more: a large kouka warrior rising above the trees greets visitors and guards the premises. arriving within the 13-acre compound, one passes many murals and graffiti. it’s completely unbelievable – to be able to find all this right here, in the middle of nowhere!
I was warmly welcomed and led through well-equipped studios, an exhibition space and the colorful garden. tags, illustrations and works of art for as far as the eye could see – a true street art paradise! currently, two artists are living here: kouka, who is french, and the russian vitaly tsarenkov. after my tour, all doors are open to me. I can walk around freely, look at books in the exhibition space and talk to the artists over tea.
I like the pleasantly relaxed atmosphere and the jardin rouge itself is a true source of inspiration to me! a professional team looks after the artists, who stay for at least 3 weeks on site. optimally equipped in this inspiring environment, they can devote themselves fully to their work and develop their art for the sake of the jardin rouge while learning new techniques. the results are then presented in an exhibition there.
I could spend hours walking around here, because there’s a work of art hiding behind every corner and there’s so much to discover. I’m already excited to see how the jardin rouge will have developed upon my next visit.
to the jardin rouge team, thank you for the warm reception!
jardin rouge / montresso foundation
jardin rouge / facebook
1/ “jardin rouge” a street art oasis on the outskirts of marrakesh
2/ jardin rouge – garden with murals and graffitis
3/ jardin rouge – studios, exhibitions room & work
4/ jardin rouge – the compound from the outside
5/ jardin rouge – street art in the nearby villages
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