An Umayyad portal transformed into an arch of diamonds

Through this pleasure constantly renewing to find the warmth and Moroccan friendliness, I traveled the country, discovered its Medinas, I crossed its arid lands, I fell in love with these landscapes so beautiful and different from Ouarzazate to Marrakech, I saw the alleys of Chefchaouen and Fez with the smells of cinnamon, mint and olives.

The only thing in common with all these places is the smile of the children and the shape of the gates, the gates of the city, the entrances to the souk, the studded doors of the riads.

I wanted to pay tribute to these places of passage from one universe to another, from the street to the patio of the riads, from the almost empty square to the abundance of souks, from the desert to the bustle of the city. Taking up the keyhole arch, I drew a ring that goes refining towards an opening, like a passage. The sides are set with diamonds. The bow is topped by an emerald-cut diamond, like the lantern that guides the passer-by at night, towards the interior of the city or the house, sheltered.

(Photo: The Entrance to the Kasbah des Umayyad on the banks of the Abu Regreg River in Rabat, Morocco)