Rabat – Street artist and calligrapher Mourad Rachendali awoke on 23 June, to find his graffiti artwork covered in white paint, to his dismay.
At the request of the Redal Company, the Sale-Bouknadel municipality, and the National Organization for Voluntary Work, Mourad has executed a mural at Plage des Nations in Sale, depicting various Moroccan landscapes, using a vivid color palette.
The artist told Morocco World News that he had worked tirelessly for four consecutive days in completing his painting, only to discover it was not appreciated by some residents of a private neighborhood.
According to Mourad, their dislike of the mural did not upset him as much as their “vicious” response. After watching him dedicate time and energy on his work, taking it down was “outright wicked”. To his knowledge, his painting simply “got caught in the middle of a dispute between the residents”,
He says the sabotage of art is not justified, considering he received approval from the beginning and there was no damage to any private property. “Such people are purposefully hindering creativity and progress”, he said.
Sale’s governor expressed his support for street art, while disparaging the deceptive act
The incident has sparked resentment among art admirers who extended their support for his work on social media.
Mourad asserted that although detractors are prevalent in the industry, this was his first experience with it. However, he insisted that the incident “has in no way discouraged him in continuing doing what he loves.”
Street Art is gaining momentum as various artists are bringing the Moroccan culture into the spotlight by using city walls as their canvas, yet it is also an art form that is under tension.
