نافورة الفسيفساء | The Mosaic Fountain of Fez
"A mosaic master discovers passion with a museum curator documenting Islamic geometric art."
نافورة الفسيفساء
The Mosaic Fountain of Fez
الفصل الأول | Chapter One
أُرَمِّمُ نَوَافِيرَ الزَّلِيجِ فِي فَاسَ.
I restore zellige fountains in Fez.
كُلُّ قِطْعَةٍ لَهَا مَكَانُهَا.
Every piece has its place.
جَاءَتْ أَمِينَةُ مَتْحَفٍ تُوَثِّقُ الفَنَّ الإِسْلَامِيَّ.
A museum curator came documenting Islamic art.
الفصل الثاني | Chapter Two
كَانَتْ فِي الخَمْسِينَ، عَاشِقَةً لِلْهَنْدَسَةِ.
She was in her fifties, in love with geometry.
"هَذِهِ الأَنْمَاطُ رِيَاضِيَّاتٌ مَرْئِيَّةٌ!"
"These patterns are visible mathematics!"
"نَعَمْ... وَرُوحَانِيَّةٌ أَيْضًا."
"Yes... and spiritual too."
الفصل الثالث | Chapter Three
رَاقَبَتْنِي وَأَنَا أَقْطَعُ الزَّلِيجَ.
She watched me cut the zellige.
"كَيْفَ تَعْرِفُ مَكَانَ كُلِّ قِطْعَةٍ؟"
"How do you know where each piece goes?"
"القَلْبُ يَعْرِفُ... قَبْلَ العَيْنِ."
"The heart knows... before the eye."
الفصل الرابع | Chapter Four
"عَلِّمْنِي."
"Teach me."
وَضَعْتُ قِطْعَةً فِي يَدِهَا.
I placed a piece in her hand.
"اِشْعُرِي بِشَكْلِهَا... ثُمَّ اِبْحَثِي عَنْ مَكَانِهَا."
"Feel its shape... then search for its place."
الفصل الخامس | Chapter Five
"وَجَدْتُهُ!" فَرِحَتْ.
"I found it!" She rejoiced.
"الآنَ أَنْتِ مُعَلِّمَةُ زَلِيجٍ."
"Now you are a zellige master."
ضَحِكَتْ. "مُبْتَدِئَةٌ فَقَطْ."
She laughed. "Just a beginner."
الفصل السادس | Chapter Six
"لِمَاذَا تَعِيشُ وَحْدَكَ؟" سَأَلَتْنِي.
"Why do you live alone?" She asked me.
"الفَنُّ يَحْتَاجُ صَمْتًا."
"Art needs silence."
"أَوْ رَفِيقًا يَفْهَمُ."
"Or a companion who understands."
الفصل السابع | Chapter Seven
تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ، بَيْنَ الزَّلِيجِ الذَّهَبِيِّ.
That night, among golden zellige.
"جَسَدُكِ فَنٌّ هَنْدَسِيٌّ."
"Your body is geometric art."
"وَأَنْتَ تَعْرِفُ كَيْفَ تَجْمَعُ القِطَعَ."
"And you know how to assemble the pieces."
الفصل الثامن | Chapter Eight
أَكْمَلْنَا تَرْمِيمَ النَّافُورَةِ مَعًا.
We finished restoring the fountain together.
صُورَتُهَا فِي كُتُبِ الفَنِّ العَالَمِيَّةِ.
Its image in international art books.
"تَحْفَتُنَا... كَحُبِّنَا."
"Our masterpiece... like our love."
الخاتمة | Conclusion
الفَسِيفَسَاءُ قِطَعٌ صَغِيرَةٌ تَصْنَعُ جَمَالًا.
Mosaic is small pieces making beauty.
وَحُبُّنَا لَحَظَاتٌ صَغِيرَةٌ تَصْنَعُ حَيَاةً.
And our love is small moments making a life.
نَمْطٌ لَا يَنْتَهِي.
A pattern without end.
من حكايات فاس From the Tales of Fez