Art Tingis Gallery is hosting the “Back to Morocco” exhibition until Aug. 30 as part of the Photo Tanger festival. Gallery director Yann Tribes said he was delighted to take part in what he described as the festival’s first edition.
The gallery is one of the few in Morocco dedicated to historic photography documenting the country’s past. Among the works on display are original silver gelatin prints by Jacques Belin, taken across different regions of Morocco during the 1940s and 1950s. Upstairs, visitors can also discover larger-format photographs by Bernard Rouget from Tribes’ personal collection, which he has chosen to share with the public.
Explaining how he builds his collection, Tribes said: “People know me, and when they have old photographs to sell, they come to me.” He added that someone had recently found him online to offer an entire collection of photographs. Antique dealers and art merchants also regularly contact him because they know he specializes in vintage photography.
Tribes also highlighted the historical context behind the photographs. Traveling to Morocco was considered a major expedition at the time, and photographers documented the country’s landscapes and everyday life to present them to audiences in Europe. During the 1950s, photography remained largely reserved for a privileged few because of its cost. Jacques Belin worked for the French Embassy, while Bernard Rouget photographed for Paris Match. “Back then, it was about showing Morocco,” he said.
According to Tribes, buyers of these historic photographs include many Europeans, as well as people originally from Casablanca and Marrakech. For many of them, he said, the images evoke memories of their childhood.
Original period prints are priced at MAD 1,800, while larger-format photographs dating from the 19th century are sold for MAD 2,800.
