Index

Lola Daels

Nafora

Lola Daels

Nafora

Caption

X

2018. Urban scenography, Marrakech.

Nafora is an accessible fountain, situated in an ancient garden in the Medina of Marrakech. Its closed water cycle runs exclusively on excess water, fetched in swimming pools of surrounding hotels. Activating the attached bicycle provides energy for the water flow to let the fountain do its magic. Nafora is the final chain in an action which tends to emblematically liberate private water and make it accessible for kids of the Medina. Nafora existed for 1 day: 12 may 2018 in Jardin Sidi Bou Aâmer, Medina Marrakech.

Nafora comes forth out of an interest in the idiosyncratic role of the increasing foreign interest in the city of Marrakech. Ever since the 70’s, the growing presence of wealthy foreigners in the Medina of Marrrakech, is occupying space increasingly both physically as mentally. Through the transformation of riads without respecting the historical regulations, they are interfering with the complex social architecture of the city. While Arabic architecture focuses on the creation of enclosed private spaces, where women are liberated from the eyes on the street, the new riads open up rooftops for restaurants or viewpoints, destroying these well protected private scenes.

​What is interesting however, is how the architecture of hotels, inside and outside the Medina, is reusing the same Arabic standards to create enclosed private spaces for tourists. Behind large hotel walls, foreign spaces are created which allow tourists to run away into a universal, comfortable and recognizable environment. Cut away from its context, a feeling of placelesness is created, where local rules and norms can be neglected and exchanged for liberal, western standards. This way, western safe spaces are generated for the visitors of the ancient Arabic city. Safe spaces to hide away from the original environment, back into the comfort zone.

The surrounding city merely becomes a spectacle, an amusement park, a tourist attraction.

Nafora was made possible with the help of Pikala, Holland Bike Atelier vzw and Queens Collective Marrakech.

This work was made in collaboration with Sebastiaan Willemen. © Image courtesy of the artists

Biography

Lola Prima Donna Daels °1990, Brussel (BE). Member of Level Five, Brussels.

 

 

Lola Prima Donna Daels (b. 1990 in Jette, BE) is a Brussels based artist. Leaving from found objects, she poses critical inquiries about the ecological and socio-political situation. By reshaping and integrating her relics into new contexts she questions the concept of authenticity in our globalizing society. She has exponentially gravitated towards researching the human impact from an ecological preoccupation. She works site-specifically, both in research scope as well as in execution. 

Daels obtained her master degree in visual arts in 2014 at Luca School of Arts, Brussels. She has been part of several residency programs such as EKWC (NL), Kooshk recidency (IR) and Cité Internationale des Arts (FR). Her work was shown at Bozar (BE), Extracity Kunsthal (BE), Deegar Platform (IR), Art Sonje Center Seoul (KR) and many more.

Her interest in urban complexities led to the collaboration with architect and urbanist Sebastiaan Willemen. 

Upcoming

2025 

  • Creatures of the Sea, Academia Belgica, Rome (IT)
    30 January 2025 5PM - 9PM
    This presentation unveils the work I’ve created during my residency (oct-jan) @academia_belgica
     
  • Keikoppen, Museumhuis Lucien De Gheus, Poperinge (BE)
    18 May 2025 - 21 September 2025
    Group Exhibition with Leyla Aydoslu, Dirk Braeckman, Peter Buggenhout, Casimir, Helena Cnockaert, Lola Daels, Berlinde De Bruyckere, Maarten De Ceulaer, Theo De Meyer, Lydia Hannah Debeer, Babs Decruyenaere, Edith Dekyndt, Lieve D’hondt, Sam Druant, Filip Dujardin, Johan Gelper, Annelotte Lammertse, Atelier lachaert d’hanis, Klaas Rommelaere, Linda Freya Tangelder, Ante Timmermans, Bram Van Breda, Muller Van Severen, Maarten Vanden Eynde, Bram Vanderbeke, Ybren Vanoverberghe, Studio Unfold, Dittmar Viaene, Conrad Willems, Dirk Zoete
     
  • Uncharted by OHME at ISELP, Brussels (BE)
    18 September 2025 - 06 December 2025

Texts and publications

2025

  • Ruimte Magazine: Bomen & bossen, Meesterproef; Sociaal Wonen "Moederbos" P.67

  • A+ (306), Building for Culture, Sociaal Wonen P. 115.
     

2024


2023


2022


2021


2020


2019


2016


2014

© 2021—now. All rights reserved.

Design & Development: d-e-a-l.eu