Medina Stores – Precious Goods In Tiny Spaces

Hustle and bustle. The scent of cinnamon and cardamom hanging in the air. Narrow, endless alleyways roamed by merchants and their hinnies carrying heavy loads. People, colors, the muezzin’s call. The Moroccan way of life. In the medinas – the large historic quarters of Fès and Marrakesh established hundreds of years ago –, the old and the new have become one.

Right in the middle of it: busy merchants, all of them having mastered the stacking and hanging and arranging of their goods in cramped spaces. For as old as the walls are, as little room do they provide. But the goods must be presented – an appealing display promises lucrative sales. And thus, as many precious items as possible are stowed in those tiny stores of mercers, of confectionary sellers, and of shoemakers who craft their colorful pieces right then and there.

During his travels through Morocco, Thomas Meinicke, a photographer based in Leipzig (Germany), was fascinated not only by the shrewd merchants’ creative pragmatism but also by the aesthetics of abundance in limited spaces – a blend of accuracy and chaos. In his project Medina Stores, Meinicke shares with his audience unique glimpses into the interior of the bazaars of Fès and Marrakesh. Each of those stores has been designed in its own functional way, with numerous shelves filled with details that will leave the viewer in awe, whether from up close or from afar.

More info: meinicke-photo.com