Reimagined artwork

A poetic reconstruction of Moroccan musical culture centered around the quwaytara and traditional musicians.

The instrument becomes more than an object: it becomes the focal point of a living musical scene, surrounded by musicians, intimate interiors, traditional clothing, ornament, and the atmosphere of a Moroccan gathering.

The visual language combines historical illustration with intricate decorative details inspired by Moroccan craftsmanship.

What it represents

Music as cultural memory — the traditions, gatherings, instruments, rhythms, and oral transmission through which culture survives from one generation to another.

What caught my eye

The quwaytara itself immediately stood out because of its distinctive decorative form and Tree of Life soundhole. The Met identifies it as a Moroccan instrument from the late 19th century and describes it as a smaller, more decorative variant of the Arab ūd.

This is especially valuable to the project because, unlike some of the paintings, this is an actual Moroccan cultural object in the Met collection.