“Morocco is my muse”: Sara Benabdallah’s photographs resemble Renaissance paintings

When asked how she arrived at a practice of image making, Sara Benabdallah says that, “photography found me rather than the other way around.” Raised in Marrakech, Morocco, where she is still based, “because the city is an endless source of inspiration”, the photographer was raised in a home full of creatives. “I grew up in a riad where my parents ran a bed-and-breakfast business,” she says. “Back then, most tourists who visited Morocco were artists and photographers. Being surrounded by their presence and seeing their craft introduced me to photography at an early age – long before cell phones made it ubiquitous.”

Leaving a lasting impression, Sara found her start in the creative world in moving image, studying and working in the film industry before moving on to the still shot, which might explain why her photographs look so cinematic. “The mise en scène in my work is carefully curated — every object, colour, and texture carries meaning. My goal is to evoke layers of narrative and emotion, inviting viewers to pause and interpret the story behind each detail,” she says.

Composed like the paintings of old masters, and often filled with the tension of contrasting colours, objects, patterns and symbols, Sara’s images are an exploration of Moroccan culture, rooted in “storytelling, folktales, and metaphors”. Unpicking the personal and cultural, much of the photographer’s work is focused on representing overlooked or marginalised narratives, particularly those attached to the lived experiences of Moroccan women. Within this, the photographer is playing with parallels – “the traditional and contemporary, the rural and urban, the visible and hidden” – to bring new lenses to Moroccan culture and history.

To frame her portraits, Sara takes inspiration from traditional Byzantine art and Renaissance masterpieces, “for their masterful use of light, shadow and composition to tell profound stories”, she shares. “But what really intrigues me most is taking the timeless qualities of these paintings and applying them to a medium like photography.” The ultimate inspiration for her work and practice, however, is her birthplace: “Morocco is my muse,” she finishes. “Every corner of this country tells a story, and my work is an attempt to listen – and respond.”