Paul Bowles
Rachid Ouettassi, born on May 21st 1969, and raised in Tangier is by no means a seasoned photographer who is deeply anchored to his hometown: Tangier, where he has been capturing street scenes for the last twenty-five years.
All throughout his prolific career, Rachid Ouettassi has used the street not only as a space for experimentation but also as a major setting scene where divergent realities collide and endeavor to coexist.
Rachid Ouettassi's large range of outstanding collections recall the tradition of documentary photography characterized by black and white and colored works which blends in rigorous framing with well-defined composition.
Rachid Ouettassi was a member of the Moroccan Association of Photographic Art from 2006 to 2015. He currently lives and works in Tangier.
Selective exhibitions:
2022: Het andere verhaal: Marokkans modernisme- Cobra Museum, Amsterdam.
2021: Moroccan Trilogy, Reina Sofia Museum, Madrid, Spain.
2019: Carte Blanche to Hassan Hajjaj: 'Mi Casa Su Casa'. Comptoir des Mines, Marrakech, Morocco.
2019: Tangier Hotel at Georges Hostel and Café- Sète, France.
2019: 'The City' ' The Dar D'Art Gallery ' Tangier, Morocco.
2016:'Tangier Mutation ' Espace Magh-Brussels, Belgium.
2015:'A discreet Walker «African District, Arles, France.
2014:'Tangier: the turning point 'Delacroix Gallery, French Institute, Tangier, Morocco.
2013: 'Grand Angle sur Tanger','Mohamed El Fassi Gallery, Rabat, Morocco
2011: Participation in the «Moroccan Chilean Alhambra-Santiago /Casa de Las Artes-Coquimbo Chili.
2010: Participation in the 'Panora Moroccan ' meeting, Jules Salles Gallery, Nîmes, France.
2008: 'The Writer and his city' a tribute to the late Mohamed Choukri, Cervantes Institute, Tangier.
2007: Participation in the exhibition: Tangier: Sombras y Luces
2005: 'Errance', Delacroix Gallery, French Institute of Tangier, Morocco
2004: 'Another Shore 'Maison de la Francité, Brussels, Belgium.
2003: 'Tangier: City of Dreams' Delacroix Gallery, French Institute of Tangier.
Publications:
“An Archive of Love” - Middle East Archive (2023).
“I came for Couscous” -Voices and creative minds from the Arab world- No. SS23 (2023).
Trilogie Marocaine “Moroccan Trilogy” (2020) – Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid.
Tanger le tournant “Tangier, the turning point” (2014) – French Institute of Tangier.
Errance “Wandering” (2005) – French Institute of Tangier.
Tanger la ville et l’écrivain “Tangier the city and the author” (in tribute to Mohamed CHOUKRI – 2007) – Zarouila Edition.
Tanger cité de rêve “Tangier a city of dreams” (2002) Croisée des Chemin Edition.
Tanger réalité d’un mythe “Tangier the reality of a myth” (1998) – Zarouila Edition.
Rachid Ouettassi artworks are part of several public collections : Mohamed IV Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Rabat, Morocco. The Ministry of Culture of Morocco. Adligat Museum of Serbian Literature, Belgrade, Serbia. Cherkaoui Foundation for Art and Culture, Tangier, Morocco. Foundation of Photography in Tangier, Morocco. La Maison de la Francité, Brussels, Belgium. The Royal Football Academy, Rabat, Morocco. The French Institute of Tangier, Morocco. Cervantes Institute of Tangier, Morocco. La Poste du Maroc, Tangier, Morocco.
