Freedom seekers and artists have long made pilgrimages to Marrakech. Here, tradition and future meet in a city full of contrasts. Join us on a journey through time in the spirit of Bill W. Willis, where the Atlas Mountains provide the backdrop and digital art is given its space.
Photo: IZZA Marrakech
It’s dizzying, colourful and hectic – the journey into Marrakech from the airport takes less than half an hour. But the journey time isn’t really what it’s all about. The motorway, a roundabout, and soon we’re approaching Medina. We pass the entrance to the the iconic luxury hotel La Mamounia, we enter the square where the red sand swirls, walk through the market and into a gateway where the narrow alleys wind their way. Then we stop, and walk the last bit to IZZA – a place for art and friends.
Immediately inside the door, we are greeted by three large photographs from Leila Alaoui Les Marocains series and two suggestive portraits in constant change Memories of Passersby by Mario Klingemann – they are connected and programmed so that they will never be the same again. Comfortable sofas, warm colours, and a wooden ceiling. Art is a key ingredient here, which we will return to during our check-in.
It took eight years to complete IZZA. A project that was about connecting seven chairs here in Medina. Since its opening on 1 September 2023, there are 14 unique rooms, three cool courtyards, all with their own water source: one with an emerald green pool, perfect for a refreshing dip, one with a plunge pool, and one with a bubbling wall fountain. In addition, five different staircases lead to the various floors. IZZA is privately owned by Neon Adventure Ltd, a London-based family business operating within technology, real estate, and philanthropy. Initially, IZZA was what they called: ”A house for friends”. But space and the interest in creating something unique grew. We take one of the tiled staircases up to the roof terrace and restaurant Stars where a welcome dinner now awaits.
The Red City
Marrakech is called The Red City, the red city – the nickname comes from the fact that almost all houses and walls in the medina are built from reddish-pink clay from the Haouz plains. The clay, which is rich in iron oxide, began to be used in the 1100s under the Almohad dynasty, and the red hue glows in the sunset. Around a million inhabitants live in Marrakech, and since 1985 the city has been a UNESCO World Heritage site.
I choose to order mocktail with the fitting name Marrakech. Saffron water, orange juice, ginger and mint are what I have in my glass as the sun sets, the Atlas Mountains in the background fading and the stars appearing in the sky in the form of a new backdrop. That the restaurant is called Noujoum, which is the Arabic word for stars, feels fitting. The food is served as a sharing concept and is both beautiful and ridiculously tasty.
We are an international gang, from Sweden, Denmark, the UK and Italy, munching away at a long table under a series of Sebastião Salgado's Amazon photographs, accompanied by the hotel manager. Karim Irrgang. I ask him about how many riads there are here in Marrakech and how he, within that collection, would classify IZZA.
There are about 1,000 riads where you can check in, about 100 of these are good – but there are only 10 of them I would recommend to my parents. And IZZA, I would say, ranks in the top 5, he says.
CREATIVE FREEDOM-SEEKERS
IZZA opened on September 1st, 2023, just a week before a a 6.8-magnitude earthquake took place. Over 2,000 people died, and many buildings were damaged. However, IZZA continued to remain open. What is constantly brought to mind here is the designer and person Bill Willis, who was also known in English as a socialite – a person known for their social life and presence in exclusive circles. His life and design are woven into the very walls here. His meetings with celebrities, creators, and artists have left their mark. For example, all 14 of IZZA's rooms are named after lives that have been intertwined with Bill Willis. Jack Kerouac, Grace Jones, Marianne Faithfull, Leila Alaoui and Talitha Getty are just a few of them. Just like Bill Willis, they were freedom-seekers who shared a fascination with Moroccan culture, the free-spirited way of life and the traditions where adventure and individuality were given free rein.
I put the key in the door and step into the Yves suite. It’s time to go to bed, and here a bed awaits, made up with the most comfortable sheets, made from 100% Egyptian cotton with a high thread count.
HIGH-QUALITY DESIGN
Yves is the largest suite at IZZA, and, as you’ve probably already guessed, takes its name from Yves Saint Laurent who was a close friend of Bill Willis. They both first came here in 1966, Bill Willis went on to move here full-time, Yves primarily spent his winters here. Together they partied, socialised and enjoyed life here. Bill Willis was also involved in designing Yves and his partner Pierre Bergé's Villa Oasis – which is located right next door. Majorelle Garden. The garden owned by Yves, which today is one of the city's major tourist attractions. Colourful, beautiful, and crowded with people trying to get the perfect photo, the brilliant cobalt blue colour, also known as Bleu Majorelle, demands attention. For his part, Bill Willis bought House of Stars – A former palace that became one of his homes here. Today the house is owned by IZZA’s owners, and a lot of objects and sketches have been brought here.
I open the window and look down at the entrance, the room is large, with a bath and shower. Beautiful books about Yves Saint Laurent and his creations and his city. A telephone and a quill pen on a small table. But above all, it's the art on the walls that demands attention. In the bathroom, I find a design sketch by Bill Willis, on the walls of the room are groups of Art in NFT format Non-fungible tokens.
The birds are chirping outside. A couple have already settled into the sun loungers by the pool just below my stairs. Breakfast on the roof, and then we’ll spend the day exploring art, both here and through a bit of our own design. We’ll leave the Medina and take a taxi to The Guéliz district where the ceramicist Fanny Lopez has her studio. Her own beautiful ceramics, where the city's gates have been transformed into pots and candle holders, are also available for purchase at the hotel. Today, however, she will let us create. We'll paint patterns with chalk and paint onto white plates, and talk about the art scene in the city, about opportunities and challenges.
– I'm happy to be able to combine my own creations with inviting groups to my studio. But maybe I'll move in the future, it gets so terribly hot here, she says.
CRAFTSMANSHIP MEETS DIGITAL ART
We sweat, drink some water, do some painting, time has flown by, and we're heading back to IZZA. Here, Aicha Benazzouz, Event and Branding Ambassador, waits in reception to take us on a tour of IZZA's art collection, which is both extensive and unique, valued at over five million pounds. Over 300 artworks – both contemporary Moroccan art and international works can be found here, we are staying in what is called the Museum in the Medina. Some of the art is in the public areas of IZZA, others are hung in the various rooms. A large part of the art here is Digital, generative and NFT artworks, along with many fine photographers.
We see AI-generated compositions of Refik Anadol, portraits of Yatreda, works by Moroccan artists such as Khadija Jayi and Mouhcine Rahaoui. We pause at Hassan Hajjaj’s large image Alo Wala in Black 2015, a photograph and a frame made of tins. Hajjaj is sometimes described as the Andy Warhol of Marrakech. Once you’ve seen one of his pictures, you’ll continue to recognise his visual style, which tends towards kitsch, where geometry meets interesting and colourful characters.
When Madonna celebrated her 60th birthday in Marrakech Aicha Benazzouz, who also says that it is possible for those who do not live here to come for a viewing – but they must pre-book – asked to be photographed by Hajjaj.
HAMAM & SIDE CAR
We round off our tour at the bar, Bills Bar. Here, the walls are adorned with photos of Bill and his friends, and for those who fancy it, there are both cocktails and Moroccan wines on offer. As for me, I need a good scrub – and I’ve booked a hammam treatment on the other side of the courtyard. I’m scrubbed clean with black soap and wrapped up in clay from the Atlas Mountains. A bit of argan oil on that, and then it’s time to get ready for the evening. We’re heading back to the Guéliz district for dinner at the newly opened Farmers restaurant and a few drinks at The Petanque Social Club, one of those popular, private, hidden-away clubs.
The next day, we'll also be leaving the Medina, this time to go on a motorcycle ride with Marrakech Insiders Tour. Gratefully, I climb into the sidecar of a Changjiang Dynasty 650 and note that driving in this traffic is not something I will have to do. I pull down my glasses and we set off. First through the Medina, car traffic is not allowed here but for trailers, bicycles and motorbikes.
WE'LL MEET AGAIN
Our turn, is a so-called Secret Ride. We’re heading into The Palmeraie district, an area with plenty of family-friendly hotels. We continue through a gate and stop under the trees in front of a large house in Art Deco style. A house that binds together the beginning and end of our visit to Marrakech, as it was here that the photographer Leila Alaouwhere I grew up. Do you remember the photographs in the reception area? The house is now dedicated to her memory. Her career came to an abrupt end when she was killed in a terrorist attack whilst photographing young women in Burkina Faso on behalf of the UN.
The long bath, the photographs of the people we now know so well. Yves Saint Laurent, Bill Willis and many others who sought freedom, art and friendship are all captured here. The dinner table is laid and the sun is shining over the pool out in the courtyard. It’s scorching hot.
We're getting off at Amal Centre för att äta lunch – tagine och couscous. Amal Center är mer än en restaurang, det är en organisation som utbildar kvinnor med svårigheter att få jobb. Här lär de sig att laga och servera mat – målet är att studenterna efter sin tid här ska få ett heltidsjobb. IZZA är med och stödjer organisationen vilket även innebär att deras studenter kommer till dem. På besök eller för att praktisera och arbeta.
Innan vår sista middag irrar vi runt i Medinan. En kollega ska köpa en matta, själv är jag inte lika fokuserad. Det är hetsigt, färgstarkt och att pruta är nödvändigt. När vi återvänder till IZZA är tallriken vi målade för några dagar levererad till mitt rum. Som gåva har jag fått ett par blå tofflor i Yves kulör – elektrisk koboltblått. Uppe i baren på Noujoum blandar vi cocktails tills solen går ner. Motvilligt konstaterar vi att vårt besök snart är slut. Mina ögon vilar en sista stund på Leila Alaouis porträtt, och de två föränderliga porträtten som nu helt bytt personlighet. Hur kommer de att se ut nästa gång jag kliver in här…
IZZA
Prisexempel: En natt i november i sviten Yves för två personer inklusive frukost, 7 500 kronor.
Adress: 46, Driba Laarida, Sidi Ahmed, Soussi, Medina
www.izza.com
Konsten på IZZA
Konstsamlingen är en viktig del av upplevelsen om du bor här. Annars rekommenderar vi att du bokar en visning.
IZZA Associate Artist Program
Ett program där man stödjer och samarbetar med 20 lovande marockanska konstnärer på olika vis under ett år.
Utställningar
I november ställer Yassine Kabbaj och Fayçal Adali ut.
I december väntar en fotoutställning med Ismail Zaidi, Fatimazzahra Serri och Safaa Kotbi.
Nyfiken på: Bill Willis
I denna film får du se mer av hans design samt höra bland andra Pierre Bergé och Marianne Faithful berätta om honom.
www.billwillis.com
Amal Centre
Boka bord för en lunch eller en matlagningssession.
www.amalnonprofit.org
Marrakech Insiders
Boka sightseeing med motorcykel. Perfekt för två personer då en sitter bakpå och en i sidovagnen. Olika turer både dag och kvällstid.
www.marrakechinsiders.com
