The opening of a photo exhibition of Leila Alaoui, who tragically disappeared in a terror attack in Ouagadougou, took place on Wednesday, July 19, 2017, at the boarding area of Port “Tanger Med Passagers” on the initiative of the Tangier Med Foundation and the Council of the Moroccan Community Living Abroad (CCME).
This action, organized in partnership with the Leila Alaoui Foundation, aims to pay a posthumous tribute to the young photographer, who died in January 2016 during a terrorist attack in Ouagadougou, through the exhibition of 30 of her photographs, enriched with her texts and testimonies.
This collection of Leila Alaoui’s works take the viewer to an open world full, creativity and beauty, reflecting the traditions and experiences of Moroccans. The work also give testimonies on the facts and illusions of young Moroccans who want to cross the Mediterranean in the hope for a better future.
In a statement to the Moroccan Press Agency (MAP), the vice-president of the Leila Alaoui Foundation, Mr Mostapha Idbihi , stressed that this initiative aims to carry on the work of the late Leila Alaoui, bringing visitors, especially young people, closer to the Culture and the arts and to safeguard the artistic legacy of the deceased, which carries values of tolerance, coexistence and living together.
“The works of the late Leila Alaoui, which will remain forever inscribed in our memories, reflect her approach to giving voice to all those left behind, including sub-Saharan migrants, Syrian refugees, street children, erased women, and the forgotten people of the countryside ” he said, adding that these clichés reflect even the souls of those photographed.
Meanwhile, Mr Mahi Binebine, writer, visual artist and sculptor said that this exceptional initiative, combining education with art, aims to bring together graduates who will be awarded prizes by the Tangiers Med Foundation and travelers passing through this point of passage of the works of this talented artist, in order to bring people from different horizons together.
Mr Fouad Brini, the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Special Agency “Tanger Méditerranée” (TMSA) stressed that the main goal of this exhibition is to pay tribute to the memory of Leila Alaoui, who was a unique artist. Bringing the public closer to her works, which reflect her talent, her look on the world and artistic journey which, beyond photography, is a question of humanity.
The photos on display include portraits made in various Moroccan communities and those about young Moroccans who want to cross the Mediterranean in the hope of a better future.
Franco-Moroccan photographer and videographer Leila Alaoui studied photography at the University of New York. Her work explored identity building, cultural diversities and migration in the Mediterranean. She used photography and video art to express social realities through a visual language that stood at the limits of documentary and visual arts.
With MAP
