Documentary photography | 2015

On August 20، 1953, the French Resident General forced King of Morocco Mohammed V into exile on Corsica for his political actions. In protest against the exile of the political and religious leader, Moroccans went to the streets and there were bloody riots throughout the Kingdom, calling for the immediate return of the Sultan. People were more than ever attached to their King. The nationalists' claim that the reflection of King Mohammed V's face could be seen in the moon spread throughout the Moroccan territory. This myth consolidated the legitimacy of the Sultan even in the farthest regions of the Kingdom. The Sultan became the epitome of Moroccan nationalism. The consensus of such myth stems from the fact that those who did not see Muhammad V in the moon, can not breach the majority, fearing to be considered traitors.
This photo series from the old Medina of Marrakech look into the images people include in their daily work spaces as a decoration. The 40+ photographs covering a large range of the city’s old and touristic shops ranged between images of imaginary landscapes and images with religious significance but mostly photos of the king and his ancestors. The choice behind the images found, was an expression of the personal aesthetics of the shop owners as well as their patriotism to the king and Morocco. A ritual that is not new for Arab countries but what was signifiant about those images is the wide range of the king’s photos, that covers his everyday life as a father, young man as well as a king, which allow the shop owners to choose what actually matches their business and taste. 

Exhibitions:

- Maroc artist meeting, MAM '15 collaborative exhibition,Marrakech, Morocco, 2015
- Marrakesh Biennial 6th edition, parallel program, Morocco, 2015