Moroccan Blue — A zine of mystic visual artifacts from Morocco

A zine of 15 illustrated mystic visual artifacts collected while traveling in Morocco and meeting the indigenous Amazigh people, also known as Berbers, mainly in the southeast near Ouarzazate and the Sahara desert. Some artifacts are symbols believed to have "baraka," which comes from the mystic Sufi concept of divine healing energy in blessed forms combined with ancient pre-Islamic Amazigh beliefs, and protect against evil "djinn" spirits. Others are tied to personal travel memories of being mesmerized by intriguing new forms. The artifacts are sourced from personal photos, sketches, research, and dialogue with locals as referenced in a key at the end. The vibrant shade of indigo blue is a distinct color seen throughout Morocco, worn by the Tuareg “blue people,” covering the city of Chefchaouen “the blue pearl,” and even coined by French artists visiting in the early 20th century as “Majorelle Blue.” It seems to have baraka of its own. The title page is infused with a handpainted diamond protection symbol using egg tempera created from blue pigment found in Chefchaouen, physically connecting the zine to the source of its mystic elements and transforming it into an object with baraka. All parts of the zine are made with natural fibers and inks, and each page was painstakingly trimmed, folded, and bound by hand to align with the natural handmade processes used in traditional Amazigh arts and crafts. All content of this zine has been reviewed and contributed to by the Tassaounte family of the Amazigh village of Asfalou, and 50% of proceeds from it will be donated to a housing project that will help sustain them amidst many economic challenges in the region. For more info please visit: www.gofundme.com/skyfall-house DETAILS: - Risoprinted in Medium Blue ink on 120gsm Metapaper by Drucken3000 - Handbound pamphlet-stitched with blue cotton twine - Second edition; numbered and limited to 50 copies