Atla(s)now: Art and Ski Training in Morocco's High Atlas

Atla(s)now is an interdisciplinary platform founded by artist and ski instructor Angelo Bellobono, using art and mountain sports for social engagement and sustainable development in Berber communities of Morocco's High Atlas, 70 km from Marrakech. The project runs artist residencies and training programs for local ski instructors and mountain guides. Artists create site-specific works and workshops using only local resources, building the first Diffuse Museum of the Atlas. In September 2017, artists Ettore Favini, Mohamed (Mo) Baaala, and Bellobono worked in Oukaïmeden (2650 m) and the village of Gliz. Favini collaborated with local weavers to create carpets blending symbols from Sardinia, and carved "Arrivederci" in Arabic and French on red stone. Baaala, of Berber origin, worked with a nomadic family to produce a book of oral stories, poems, and images, and will return for a sculpture workshop to create micro-economy from ski season sales. Bellobono created stone engravings and paintings, a carpet inspired by mountain walks, and an environmental sculpture using a branch and old children's skis, painted white to blend with snow. The project also trained local guides and ski instructors to improve safety and sustainable employment. Future plans include a detailed map, a book, and a documentary covering seven years of the project.