Fatima-Zahra Benarab

“I hear the question upon your lips: What is it to be a colour?

Colour is the touch of the eye, music to the deaf, a word out of the darkness. Because I’ve listened to souls whispering – like the susurrus of the wind – from book to book and object to object for tens or thousands of years, allow me to say that my touch resembles the touch of angels. Part of me, the serious half, calls out to your vision while the mirthful half sours through the air with your glances.

I’m so fortunate to be red! I’m fiery. I’m strong. I know men take notice of me and that I cannot be resisted.

I do not conceal myself: For me, delicacy manifests itself neither in weakness nor in subtlety, but through determination and will. So, I draw attention to myself. I’m not afraid of other colours, shadows, crowds or even of loneliness. How wonderful it is to cover a surface that awaits me with my own victorious being! Wherever I’m spread, I see eyes shine, passions increase, eyebrows rise and heartbeats quicken. Behold how wonderful it is to live! Behold how wonderful to see. I am everywhere. Life begins with and returns to me. Have faith in what I tell you.”
― Orhan Pamuk, My Name Is Red

“الزواج، ذلك الطير الجميل، اذا ما خفقت أجنحته، انتقى
روحين شاردتين من أسرة الأرواح، وصوّب طريقيهما طريقاً، يصعد عمودياً بهما، تلاحقه براثن الخبث الأرضي، تمسك به، تكبله، تضعه في قفصٍ – قد يصفونه ذهبياً - ما هو إلا نحاس سميك جبلوه من عقدهم وعللهم وأسقطوه عى واقعٍ جاهلٍ، فأحالوا العصفور غراباً وبقيت الأرواح شاردة!!!”
― فايز غازي، Fayez Ghazi, مناي