12/01/2023
“When I moved to Marrakech in 2018, as a small-town-kid, it felt like a violent and sudden burst of culture, art meetings and passionate conversations. All so fast, so natural and spontaneous. The city had an ideal pace for young aspiring photographers like the one I was. Even now, I see it as a vast flourishing field, mistaken for a sterile desert. All its vital power resides in the thousand’s roots connected under the ground. A large network of humans that make things happen.
As I am posing for Salah, another photographer, I can only contemplate the consequences of the powerful web of this city, of this country. These already existing roots were transposed and manifested on Instagram. And Instagram enhanced it. For the youth.
Concepts just pop in young people’s minds and they just go for it, it ends up being videos and pictures. In these projects posted without anyone asking for them. In these meetings between artists. Things are being created, talked about, shared, criticized. We’re creating one big Moroccan map of passionate souls bringing up topics and visuals. Just ideas. Creating a current collective memory. People meet through these things. Lovers are born through this. Flatmates, associates. Collaborations are made. Jobs are being created. Art spaces, exhibitions, residencies, festivals, gatherings, projections, coffee shops. Ideas. Moroccan ideas. You never know what else. It’s just what is going on right now in my country and I am embracing it all. Embracing it all.”
Youssef 💫✨