Abla Ababou Gallery Hosts ‘Alone Together': A Collective Reflection on Morocco
The Alone Together exhibition presents a wide range of photographic styles, from documentary to experimental, that offer intimate and personal perspectives on the world we live in today.
Through their different lenses, the artists reflect on what it means to be connected, or alone, in a rapidly changing society. Alone Together exhibition
'It is a time of great change, filled with many personal and individual emotions,' curator Khalil Nemmaoui told Morocco World News.
'Instinctively, I chose 10 people whose work is completely different from one another, but in the end, based on what I thought, and which has, in a way, been emphasized, supported, and validated by the public,' he added.
A testimony about Morocco
Nemmaoui added that their work comes together to form a kind of 'testimony' about the Morocco we are living in today.
One of the featured artists, Zineb Andress Arraki, presented a deeply personal series titled Les Gens de Peu ('People of Little Means'), capturing quiet moments from everyday Moroccan life. Alone Together exhibition
She told MWN that she initially wanted to present another body of work. But it was Marie Soulama from Le Monde who pushed her to show this series.
'There's a book called Les Gens de Peu by Pierre Sansot, and for me, he expresses so beautifully what it means to be 'people of little means.' This series illustrates that excerpt from his writing,' she explained.
The photos, taken in Morocco, form part of a wider project she hopes to continue internationally. 'It explores architecture, but also objects,' she added. 'For me, Qays and Layla are like the Romeo and Juliet of design.' Alone Together exhibition
When asked why she chose to focus on 'les gens de peu,' she replied: 'Because, in fact, we are all les gens de peu. Because the shroud doesn't have pockets. Because the only thing we truly have is the few square centimeters of our brains. Because we're all going to die, and at some point, we need to be humble. There's nothing left to rule over, and we're all going to die.' Tags: Abla AbabouAbla Ababou GalleryexhibitionPhotography
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Morocco World
4 days ago
- Morocco World
HACA Dismisses Complaints Over ElGrandeToto's Concert Broadcast on 2M
Marrakech – The High Authority for Audiovisual Communication (HACA) has dismissed over 190 complaints regarding the broadcast of Moroccan rapper ElGrandeToto's concert on 2M television channel. Announced on Wednesday, the decision follows deliberations by the Supreme Council for Audiovisual Communication during its meeting on July 17. The complaints, received between July 2 and 7, claimed that the concert contained expressions and scenes that violated public morals and could negatively influence young viewers. Despite dismissing these complaints, HACA determined that 2M 'did not ensure an appropriate broadcast context,' particularly regarding insufficient use of content warnings, even though the concert aired after 11:05 p.m. In its decision, HACA stated that its institutional role is to ensure audiovisual media content, especially from public service broadcasters, complies with relevant laws and respects democratic values and fundamental rights of all audience categories. 'In Morocco's independent regulatory model based on freedom of expression, the regulatory authority does not have the mission to censor artistic creation and expression, nor does it interfere in the editorial choices of broadcasters regarding the content they broadcast,' the decision explained. HACA clearly established that evaluating the quality of artistic works, particularly musical ones, and authorizing their broadcast in public space are not within its jurisdiction. Instead, the authority declared that public audiovisual media services have a duty of inclusion and interaction with all audience categories, including consideration of cultural practices and forms of expression specific to younger generations. The regulatory body pointed out that for certain content, including musical and dramatic works, public service broadcasters should ensure an appropriate broadcast context through the use of content ratings and consideration of the target audience. According to the decision, based on the principle of proportionality in media regulation, 'imposing censorship on an artist or stigmatizing their audience is not acceptable.' Instead, audiovisual providers should strengthen measures specified in their terms of reference to balance freedom of expression, cultural diversity, and audience protection. A Moroccan rapper with global reach ElGrandeToto, whose real name is Taha Hafsi, performed at the closing concert of the 20th edition of the Mawazine Festival – World Rhythms. His performance captivated an estimated audience of 400,000 people, mostly young fans. Now in his thirties, the rapper has achieved remarkable success both in his home country and internationally. He has performed at venues like the Olympia and Zenith in Paris, and earned platinum and diamond records for musical collaborations in France. ElGrandeToto boasts over 3.9 million monthly listeners on Spotify, reflecting his widespread popularity. HACA's decision has sparked mixed reactions. Hassan Hamourou, one of the complainants and a member of the national council of the Justice and Development Party (PJD), condemned the dismissal of the complaints, claiming it 'encourages 2M to continue broadcasting content that threatens values shared by Moroccans through a media funded by public money.' He further argued that HACA 'covers the excesses of the channel and its manifest non-compliance with the specifications,' and should have imposed sanctions rather than 'theorizing about freedom of expression and art.' Media outlets have characterized this ruling as a courageous decision that may establish a precedent for balancing artistic freedom with public service broadcasting responsibilities in Morocco's media landscape. Tags: 2MTVElgrande totoHACA
Morocco World
4 days ago
- Morocco World
Hakim Ziyech Trains with Afrobeat Artist Amid Club Uncertainty
Free agent Hakim Ziyech has been spotted training with Ghanaian musician King Promise, as the Moroccan international looks to maintain fitness and revive his career ahead of the 2025 AFCON. Ziyech, 32, joined the award-winning artist for a street run, with the two seen jogging and walking together in a video that quickly went viral on social media. King Promise later posted a light-hearted caption in Pidgin, joking: 'He nearly tear my heart.' The former Chelsea and Ajax winger is currently without a club after a disappointing stint at Al-Duhail in Qatar. With just one goal and two assists in 24 appearances last season, Ziyech parted ways with the club in May. Despite links to moves in Turkey and Brazil, no deal has materialised. A return to the Gulf remains under consideration. Ziyech is targeting a return to Morocco's national team in time for AFCON 2025, but needs regular minutes to make the squad. Tags: AfrobeatAl DuhailChelseaGalatasarayGhanaHakim Ziyech
Ya Biladi
5 days ago
- Ya Biladi
Maryam Touzani's Calle Malaga debuts at Venice and Toronto film festivals
Moroccan filmmaker Maryam Touzani's latest feature, Calle Malaga, has been selected for two of the world's leading film festivals: Venice, where it will screen in the Spotlight section, and Toronto, where it will appear as part of the Special Presentations lineup. The film stars legendary Spanish actress Carmen Maura and is set for international theatrical release in March 2026. Shot in Morocco and performed entirely in Spanish, Calle Malaga will make its world debut on the festival circuit this fall. The story follows Maria Angeles (Maura), a 79-year-old Spanish woman living alone in Tangier. Her quiet life is disrupted when her daughter, Clara (played by Marta Etura), travels to Madrid to sell the apartment Maria once called home. Determined not to let go of her past, Maria sets off on a deeply personal journey to reclaim her belongings and, along the way, rediscovers love and longing in the final chapter of her life. The film explores themes of memory, attachment to place, and the right to love in old age. «With the subtlety and emotional depth that have made her a towering figure in Spanish cinema, Carmen Maura brings Maria to life with moving humanity, balancing fragility and strength in a richly layered performance», a press release notes. Touzani's selection at both Venice and Toronto underscores her growing international profile. Her previous films, Adam (Cannes 2019 – Un Certain Regard) and The Blue Caftan (Cannes 2022 – Un Certain Regard), received wide acclaim. The latter became the most internationally successful Moroccan film to date, earning a spot on the Oscars shortlist for Best International Feature and collecting over 60 awards, including the FIPRESCI Prize at Cannes.
