Launch in Tangier of a partnership between Moroccan and American women artisans, the project aims to allow American quilters and Moroccan embroiderers to create pieces reflecting their traditions and to open up to other cultures.

A partnership project between the Tangier American Legation Museum and the Philadelphia Textile Museum entitled "Made with their hands" was recently launched in Tangier, in order to highlight the work of Moroccan and American women artisans.

This innovative project, which is part of the US Embassy's "Museums Connect" programme, aims to allow American quilters and Moroccan embroiderers to create pieces reflecting their traditions and to open up to other cultures.

In this context, the American quilters from Philadelphia made a visit to Morocco from 14 to 21 March, where they discovered Moroccan culture and craftsmanship and had the opportunity to exhibit their creations at the Tangier American Legation Museum.

For their part, the Moroccan artisans will visit the United States next May to exhibit their creations at the Philadelphia Textile Museum "The Fabric Workshop and Museum".

This programme also involves the participation of students from New York University and the Specialised Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual who will prepare reports and documentaries illustrating this unique exchange, by highlighting the sharing of experiences between Moroccan and American artisans.

In a statement to MAP, the director of the Tangier American Legation Museum, John Davison, emphasised the importance of this project in terms of strengthening the cultural relations linking Morocco and the United States and promoting traditional cultural values on both sides.

The official specified that through this international collaboration, quilters from New York and embroiderers from the "Au Grain de Sésame du Maroc" workshop have created new pieces that illustrate the ancestral culture of each country, noting that the participating Moroccan and American students will produce a documentary film and a virtual art gallery, in order to highlight the creations of these women.

"Visitors to the exhibition will easily recognise Moroccan embroidery, while the quilt which reflects the American tradition is little known to Moroccans," explained John Davison, noting that the quilt, which can illustrate abstract geometric designs, images, or written messages, is designed by women and is mainly used for blankets and bedspreads, as well as for decoration.

For her part, the coordinator of this project from New York University, Jacqueline Bishop, made it known that the American quilters will live with Moroccan families in the Medina of Rabat, share their daily life, and discover their traditional embroidery.

"After the American quilters have exhibited their works at the Tangier American Legation Museum and the Galerie au Grain Sésame in Rabat, 4 Moroccan embroiderers and 4 Moroccan students will travel next May to the Philadelphia Textile Museum where they will exhibit their creations and discover the craftsmanship and culture of the United States.

For her part, the director of the "Au Grain de Sésame" gallery in Rabat, Asma Benachir, specified that the Moroccan women artisans work on traditional embroidery with recycled paper, by integrating modern techniques, noting that this programme also offers training to these women so as to allow them to exchange their knowledge and share their culture. MAP

© Importance of the "Made with their hands" project, in terms of strengthening the cultural relations linking Morocco and the United States and promoting traditional values on both sides. Ph: DR