Morocco, US Celebrate 200 Years of Relations with Street Art
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- 03 Dec 2021
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The US Mission in Morocco’s Dar America and Chicago Sister Cities International, collaborated to create a mural commemorating the 200 anniversary of Moroccan-US diplomatic relations.
The fascinating mural standing now at the Molay Youssef middle school in Casablanca is a testimony to the strong diplomatic relations binding the two nations together.
Named “Under One Sky,” the mural is not only a celebration of Moroccan-US relations which have spanned two centuries; it’s also a statement about the common global challenges the two nations are facing under “one sky.”
Specifically, the mural commemorates the 200th anniversary of the creation of the Tangier American Legation, the first American property outside US soil, now a building rich in historic symbolism of the long-standing Moroccan-US relations.
The mural depicts two proud animals - the Moroccan Barbary Lion and the American Bald Eagle- emblems of Morocco and the US, majestically reigning over an exquisite sunset.
Cheri Charlton, the artist behind the symbolic mural, explained to Morocco World News that she and her team opted for the two animals to reflect what the two nations have in common and the global challenges they’re both confronting.
The ablaze mural serves as a reflection on the environmental challenges bringing the two nations together, the artist explains.
Street art as dialogue with community
In a lengthy, passionate exchange with MWN, the artist offered her thoughts on the significance of using street art to commemorate Moroccan-US diplomatic relations.
Far from the common view of creating art for restricted-access galleries, street art is about bringing art closer to people and creating an urban gallery that serves as a reminder of issues that matter.
Charlton describes street art as more democratic, explaining it is all about “creating dialogue” between artists and local communities.
While in the process of creating the mural, she told MWN that her hope was to create something that could make people think. With street art, Charlon explained, it’s the process that matters most because the product seldom outlives its author.
To the American illustrator, the mural was an opportunity to interact with local communities and to “make people happy.”
Charlton elaborated on her joyous street-art-as-experience approach, noting that one day the mural’s paint will fade, or the building vessel to the art might be torn down. However, she said with hope, the joy she brought to the community and the inspiration she seeded in young generations will outlive the art.
Also of central importance to the American artist was the opportunity to meet new people and to create new friendships with Moroccan street artists, Bakr Addaaoui and Fati Khalio, who assisted her in creating the mural.
The artist expressed her gratitude at the opportunity to use her art in commemoration of the 200th anniversary of Moroccan-US relations, stating that this mural is by far her largest and most challenging piece.
The challenges of creating art for diplomatic purposes
The artist shared with MWN details of the challenges she and her team faced while creating the mural.
Aside from the challenges posed by the scorching Casablanca sun, and the occasional rain that halted the work on the mural temporarily, the artist further described the process of creating art for diplomatic purposes as intimidating.
“We didn’t want to ruffle anyone’s feathers,” she joked while describing her team’s effort to paint the two emblem animals of the same size. Read More…
