Marrakesh Dream

Marrakesh Dream is the most animated of the three works. A ground of coral, rose and terracotta runs down the canvas in vertical drips and streaks, with flashes of yellow and deep red breaking through, and across it swarm dozens of butterflies in teal, emerald, navy, magenta, pink and white.

The butterflies gather most densely toward the center and upper half, as if caught mid-flight in a single rising movement. Many are built up in thick impasto, standing out in relief from the surface, while others are painted flat and seem to fade into the warm ground. The variation in texture creates a sense of depth and constant motion.

The palette draws on the warm earth tones associated with Marrakech, its terracotta walls and spice markets, and the cooler jewel tones of the butterflies stand out vividly against it. Mineral pigment gives the reds a dusty richness that changes with the light.

The title frames the painting as something remembered or imagined rather than observed. It is less a picture of a city than a feeling of one: warm, crowded, colorful and full of movement.