Timeless, Evocative, and Serene: Rida Tabit on his forthcoming photography zine

| Moroccan photographer and creative extraordinaire Rida Tabit has just released his first photography zine, “In Times of Stillness,” on June 20th. Inspired and created from the quietness of Marrakech during the pandemic, the 48-page zine evokes an unwavering dedication to capturing the complex essences of a city at once still and moving. We caught up with Rida to discuss this exciting launch and hear all about his reflections on photography, moving image, and his creative process

By Ethan Dinçer

Could you tell us what inspired you to create this work?

The concept for this work came from a collection of photographs depicting the enormous changes the pandemic in my city wrought.
The sudden decline in tourists and the resulting isolation drew me in and gave me the notion to explore Marrakech’s hidden aspects beneath its touristy façade. The altered urban environment is employed, as both a backdrop and a subject, in order to demonstrate the tenacity of the city’s inhabitants.

What does the title mean to you?

The title “In Times of Stillness” reflects a concentration on the instances when Marrakech felt a great peace and tranquility. It denotes a change from the regular commotion and highlights how the pandemic-related limitations have affected the city’s energy and speed of life.
It illustrates my intention to show Marrakech’s often-overlooked reality during a time of quiet and to show how the city and its residents survive and find strength in the stillness.

Without revealing too much, what’s inside the zine?

Through a subtle interplay of light and shadow, colors, and contrasts, the photographs in this zine transport readers to a city in transition where seclusion and silence battle with the unwavering energy of its residents.
Your practice is a blend of stills and moving images — what do you look for in each way of documenting?
For me, moving images, which depict the passage of time, can give a story life and a sense of continuity, yet still single images can convey depth and emotion in just one frame.
The use of both still photos and moving pictures in my work enables me to present a more compelling picture of the subject by fusing the strength of isolated, introspective moments with the immersive storytelling potential of moving pictures.

Your work often evokes a kind of old-timey, nostalgic feeling, all while being grounded in the present. What are some words you use to describe your images?

Timeless, Evocative, and Serene.

What’s upcoming for you? We know Noorseen Collective was super popular in the Moroccan creative scene — give us an insight into the coming months and years in the world of Rida.

I consider photography to be a never-ending process of learning, and I am always interested in pursuing fresh ideas. In the midst of the pandemic, I collaborated with some of Morocco’s talented photographers to create Noorseen, which at the time served as a platform for support, healing, and creation.
Currently, I am thinking about a few projects that I want to work on in the future, including the development of my first photobook, but I also enjoy the serendipitous aspect of the creative process, which leaves room for inspiration to strike and unanticipated opportunities to present themselves.





Discover more on Rida’s work, here