Melehi

1984, 25:10 min, color, sound

Produced with the Bronx Museum of Art, Melehi is a portrait of the Moroccan painter Mohammed Melehi and his work. Shot in the artist's Casablanca studio and in Rabat, Marrakech, and the Atlas mountains, the tape places Melehi within the larger tradition of Islamic art and culture. Inspired by the decorative paintings of Islamic architecture and the Moroccan landscape, his work resonates with spiritual meaning. Discussing his personal philosophy and his relation to traditional artisans, Melehi enumerates the differences between Western representational art and non-figurative Islamic art, alluding to the mystical communion between the artist and his work.

Audio: Rose Viggiano, Chris Clark. Editor: Rick Feist.