Karim El Maktafi

day by day

 

The inland areas of Italy constitute a vast portion of the country, occupying about three-fifths of the national territory, while hosting just under a quarter of the total population. These regions are extremely heterogeneous within themselves, sharing only their remoteness from major urban areas and services. Their developmental trajectories may be unstable, but they also boast resources that the more metropolitan areas of the country often lack.

 

The Apennine region of Emilia emerges here as an area of great interest, at the centre of initiatives aimed at acknowledging and enhancing specific forms of cultural heritage. This heritage is manifested through lifestyles deeply rooted in the slow cycles of the natural mountainside environment as well as through consolidated networks of mutual assistance. These elements not only represent a significant legacy for the mountain community itself, but also constitute a source of interest and value for a broader community, extending to the towns and plains surrounding the Apennines.

 

The works on show in Fotografia Europea 2024, under the guidance of Karim El Maktafi, are set against this fascinating context. Nature loves to hide: this is the theme of the festival, which finds a privileged channel of expression in this very area. The profound interconnection between humans and nature, characterised by a relationship at once both strong and fragile, is revealed over the centuries through a profound bond that remains vital thanks to activities that continue to breathe life into these territories.

 

In his work, Karim El Maktafi immerses in both age-old and recent histories, exploring faces and places that serve as a sort of living map of the territory. His exploration takes the form of a journey highlighting the intrinsic spirituality of people in harmony with nature, capturing the essence of a bond that persists over time and contributes significantly to the richness and diversity of this mountain region.

Karim El Maktafi is an Italian-Moroccan photographer born in Desenzano del Garda in 1992.
In 2013 he graduated from the Italian Institute of Photography in Milan. In 2016 he got a one-year fellowship at Fabrica, Benetton’s communication research center in Treviso, during his residency Karim made the project Hayati, winner of the PHMuseum 2017 Grant – New Generation Prize, finalist of the CAP Prize 2017 (Contemporary African Photography prize) and second prize at the Kassel Dummy Award 2018.
Between 2017 and 2018 he won a mentorship with American photographer Maggie Steber (VII Agency), who follows him in the development of some projects. In 2018, he was awarded with a Magnum Photos fellowship with Alex Majoli.
Karim pursues long-term projects between Italy and Morocco, and his photographic research explores the concept of identity and belonging through documentary and portrait photography.
His work has been exhibited at Triennale Milano, Museum in Der Kulturbrauerei in Berlin, Pavillon Populaire in Montpellier, Macro Testaccio Museum in Rome, and other photography festivals in Europe, as well as published among others in The Washington Post Magazine, National Geographic USA, Internazionale, Vice, GEO, and Vogue Italia.

27/04

H 11

Chiostri di San Pietro | laboratorio aperto

MEET THE ARTIST

JO RACTLIFFE

MATTEO DE MAYDA

KARIM EL MAKTAFI

Moderator WALTER GUADAGNINI

Exhibition Venue

Palazzo Da Mosto
via Giovanni Battista Mari, 7
Reggio Emilia

1


Opening hours

opening days
26th of April › 19-23
27th of April › 10-23
28th of April › 10-20

from 1st of May to 9th of June
Wednesday, Thursday › 10-13 / 15-19
Friday, Saturday, Sunday and public holidays › 10-20

Category
Palazzo da Mosto