Courtesy of Ismail Zaidy.
“I try to show our culture and our identity in a way that isn’t so ‘traditional’, says Moroccan photographer Ismail Zaidy, refusing—what he describes as—the “orientalist” views that are so-often enlisted in any depictions of his homeland. Instead, Zaidy re-imagines Morocco as a twilight-lit cloud and desert-scape that might not even be Morocco at all. Zaidy is just one of a growing scene of artists and creatives who are trying to change the existing narrative of the North African country, one which is more often than not built around preconceived ideas and stifling stereotypes. In contrast, Zaidy and his contemporaries are striving to break down taboos, address differences, and find the balance between tradition and a more Westernised modern culture. Below Zaidy is joined by Instagram favourite Mous Lamrabat and Fatima Zohra Serri in discussing their vital visions of their home region.
Mous Lamrabat
All images © Mous Lamrabat. Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Number 8
“My best advice for young artists is to stay close to who you are and do it for yourself!” recommends self-taught Moroccan image-maker and Instagram sensation, Mous Lamrabat, “After trying to be like everybody else, I realised quite fast that it wasn’t working for me. I went back to what I know best, and that’s being an Moroccan immigrant living in Europe,” he says. Born in Morocco, Lamrabat moved to Belgium as a child and now employs photography as a tool to re-explore his Moroccan roots, combining humour with political commentary, North African tradition with the symbolism of the Western society in which he grew up. “I love to laugh, it’s my favourite emotion,” he says. “There is already so much negativity. My theory is that if people feel an emotion within an artwork, they will remember it.” Originally studying interior design at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Ghent, Lamrabat has made a name for himself by merging elements of North African heritage and dress with familiar Western logos—Nike swooshes and McDonald’s arches feature widely. Here, the consumerist emblems function as shorthand for capitalist consumption in a country that is renowned for its craftsmanship. “Morocco is a very artistic place even for people that aren’t into arts,” says Lamrabat. “Being creative is their way of living. I just hope that people don’t see us Moroccan artists as a hype, because we are here to stay!”
Ismail Zaidy
All photos courtesy of Ismail Zaidy.
“I try to show our culture and our identity in a way that isn’t so ‘traditional,’ explains Ismail Zaidy, who goes by @l4rtiste on Instagram. Although the 22-year-old photographer includes a number of traditional pieces of clothing in his scenes, such as the hijab, the djellaba (a loose-fitting unisex robe) and the haik (a traditional garment worn by women in Morocco), his photos are stirring on account of their dreamy settings and colour palette. “The photos are taken in Morocco, but it doesn’t have to necessarily look like Morocco, or have art and patterns that people probably associate with Morocco either,” he explains. Inspired by the saturated shades of Marrakesh, warm pinks and oneiric blues and lilacs are Zaidy’s go-to hues in his highly staged and choreographed images. Frequently, his work revolves around concepts of equality, difference and acceptance. Speaking of a photo featuring his brother and a friend—they face in opposite directions, bound by a swathe of hot pink clothe—Zaidy says: “We might feel the same way about something but because we’re not of the same nation or tribe, we won’t accept each other’s views or even discuss them. It leaves us both alone and empty in the end.” In general, Zaidy works closely with his family—his brother and sister are often subjects in his work. “They’re not just models. We work on ideas together, we support each other and different concepts always get thrown back and forth,” he adds. In the future, Zaidy plans on travelling—“I want to soak up cultures, different points of views and get inspired by them to do whatever I want. I want to see how people work, learn and then grow from there.”
Fatima Zohra Serri
All photos courtesy of Fatima Zohra Serri.
“Break the silence, stop the violence. Make art to speak for women who suffer,” reads the caption beneath one of Fatima Zohra Serri‘s most controversial photographs: a self-portrait with a menstrual pad on her forehead. Periods are still very much a taboo subject in Serri’s native Morocco and this compelling image addresses that head-on. Born to a conservative family in a rural region in the north of the country, the 23-year-old had to contend with the expectations of friends and family when she set out to be become a photographer: “At first, they were surprised and kind of uncomfortable with my work, but it was just a matter of time—now they support me in every step,” she explains. Although Morocco has made many legal advances in women’s rights in recent years, women still face a lot of discrimination in a society struggling to let go of some repressive traditions. Serri’s photos expose the inequalities that still exist between men and women, both at home and on the streets, showing how absurd the ‘norm’ can be. Through her work, Serri wants to give a voice to those women suffering from cultural taboos and injustices. “All my photos are a reflection of the life I’m living: I get inspired by my surroundings, women I know, the situations I face on a daily basis. Addressing women’s rights in my pictures is something that comes from my heart.”