In Medina Marrakech you can now stay among 300 carefully curated works of art, including a major exhibition of physical NFT artworks. This is all made possible by boutique hotel group IZZA, at the debut location of House of Friends, which also houses the Museum in The Medina (MITM), curated by Studio137.
The grounds are made up of seven old houses with fourteen unique bedrooms, three tranquil courtyards, a swimming pool, a restaurant, a bar and an expansive roof terrace – reportedly home to Refik Anadol’s Machine hallucinations: Mars on a 6-foot screen.
As for the rest of the collection, MITM shared that it has specifically showcased works related to four main categories: generative art, photography, contemporary art, and the archives of Bill Willis, a leading light in Moroccan-style interior design in the mid-20th century. century. .
It is worth noting that the attention to detail that has gone into this exhibition is reflected in the presentation of each work, with NFT-based works including information such as title, number of editions, date of creation, description, links to the artist’s site and social media. , as well as who collects the work and the contract address.
Generative art
Of all the collected and curated categories, MITM’s generative art section is the most substantial, featuring multiple works by each of the following artists: William Mapan, Dmitri Cherniak, Matt DesLauriers, Refik Anadol, Tyler Hobbs, Dandelion Wist, Kjetil Golid, Michael Zancan, Manoloide, Monica Rizzolli, Emily Xie, Iskra Velitchkova, Tara Donovan, Che-Yu Wu, Osinachi and a bunch of punks and Autoglyphs from LarvaLabs.
Notable generative art collections highlighted by MITM include Fidenza by hobbs, ringtones by Cherniak, Meridians by DesLauriers, Anticyclones by Mapan, and Memories of Qilin by Xi.
Photography
Photographers in the collection include Leila Alaoui, Sebastião Salgado, Ismail Zaidy, Ziad Naitaddi, Anass Ouzziz, Diana Lui, Daoud Aoulad Syad, Yatreda, Zhou Peng and Reuben Wu.
MITM lists large-scale photographs from Alaoui’s Les Marocains series as one of the collection’s notable pieces, alongside moving portraits of Ethiopian prodigy Yatreda
Contemporary art
On the contemporary art front, there are names like Khadija Jayi, Mouhcine Rahaoui, Hicham Benohoud, Hassan Hajjaj, Rachid Bakkar, Hafid Marbou, Nabil Boudarqa, Ahmed Bibaoune, KRM, Tibari Kantour, Hafid Marbou and Yassine Mekhnache.
Some of the most notable works that MITM highlighted are those of Hajjaj, Jayi, and Rahaouian.
Bill Willis Archives
Last but not least are the Bill Willis Archives, which hold a special place in the heart of IZZA as they act as underlying inspiration for the overall concept and design of the hotel museum.
IZZA said it “draws from the life and aesthetic of Bill Willis. His signature style and eclectic designs are evident throughout the hotel. Guests can marvel at the intricate zellige details and a plethora of photos and memorabilia that show his life among stars like Grace Jones, Mick Jagger and Yves Saint Laurent. These precious items came from his former home, Dar Noujoum, a property that the owners of IZZA are proud of.”
A unique place and space
Of all available rooms at IZZA, Elegance is notable for its diverse art collection and Parisian textiles. Named after famed musician and actress Grace Jones, this bedroom is adorned with a custom textile and hardwood headboard. The details are continued with custom taupe floor tiles, complemented by a hand-carved zellige edge inlay.
In the room and adjoining private quarters, guests will find works by DesLauriers, Xie, Boudarqa, and a host of Bill Willis archives.
You can now book a stay in any of the rooms, with prices ranging from $150 USD to $770 USD per night, based on current rates and availability at the time of writing.
In addition to the beautiful surroundings and rooms, IZZA represents a unique space in time for digital art as a whole, as the works displayed take on physical form, further enhancing their significance in the overarching traditional art world.