Rabat: Open-Air Museum Transformed by Annual Street Art Festival

Artists brought vibrant hues to the Moroccan capital of Rabat by painting murals on several walls during a street art festival held in the city.

The yearly festival that took place at the beginning of this month is called Jidar, which means "wall" in Arabic.

Over thirty artists hailing from eight different nations brought their artwork to life in Marrakesh, the vibrant heart of Morocco. Since 2015, the Jidar festival has been striving to make art more accessible to everyone by incorporating it directly into communal areas around the city.

"Even after the official end date of the festival passes, the celebration doesn’t really conclude. Instead, this marks the start of genuine engagement between individuals and the art pieces," stated Salaheddine Malouli, who directs the Jidar festival.

The artists were raised using cherry pickers together with all their materials to access the tops of the walls, serving as their empty canvases.

The Moroccan street artist known as Masawi, whose real name is Oussama Moussaoui, created a mural featuring hues of red and vivid purples.

"Moussaoui stated that this mural represents Rabat, known as the City of Lights. From a distance, the letters seem dispersed, yet when collected and organized, they spell out 'Rabat,' " he explained.

Over 100 murals have been created on the walls of Rabat throughout the decade that the city has held the festival this year. The event, which ran for ten days concluding on May 18, included guided tours allowing visitors to explore these artworks and learn about the artists' creations.