Have you recently been living by any life philosophy? Work hard. Drink alot of water. Are you aware of any conspiracies? No. What is it that interests you about photography? I got into photography through photo books. My interest & attraction towards photography was mainly based on the aesthetic of images and how everything can be beautiful when seen right. I am thinking here of photographers like Eggleston, Gruyaert and Stephen Shore who photographed the banal and the everyday adding a personal touch and their own vision of the world. I think today my interest is still connected to that aesthetic representation of a photograph but I am more interested in one of the many roles that photography has played in shaping our society, and our way of seeing the world; starting from its invention in the 19th century through to the early days of photojournalism, until present day. After leaving my studies at university in 2011, photography has become a medium that helped me to understand the world, to look at it, and to explore it.
What is the worst thing about city life? The rush. What part of the planet would you like to explore? ICELAND. What do you think is the most plausible of the supernatural? Accidents / Coincidences. If you had to align yourself with a leader in history, who would it be? Probably Gandhi. Pick a field of science to be an expert within. Anthropology. What moment have you most wished you’d had a camera when you hadn’t? My wedding day. Choose a job you would be willing to do for free on the side. Horticultural dj. Describe the most important photo you’ve seen. I don’t know what ‘’important photo’’ could mean, but the picture that comes to my mind right now, is one of Joel Sternfeld’s iconic photograph: A fireman buying a pumpkin while the house in the background is on fire. All seems to be in a perfect harmony. The image is ambiguous and it is hard to tell whether the scene is a staged or found one. How often do you take other people’s advice? I do take the advice of the people whom I trust. Describe a personal hell. Lack of inspiration Which living person do you most admire? My grand mother.
On what occasion do you lie? When saying the truth, could hurt someone. What is the best way to educate yourself? To observe, to be patient, to fail and to learn from your failures. What is the next book you want to read? Rebel Music: Race, Empire and the New Muslim Youth Culture by Hicham D. Aidi. Ultimate camera? Linhof Technika 4×5. Most used camera? Mamiya c330. What object do you want? Black Mercedes Benz 280c. How would you explain the internet to someone from the 1950’s? There is a castle in the middle of nowhere. Inside there are many corridors and each corridor has many doors and each door leads to a library which is organized thematically or based on loose associations. Are you satisfied with your level of physical strength? Yes. Pick an historic moment from the last hundred years to bring a camera to. 6th of July 1980. Which talent would you most like to have? Playing Kalimba on an advanced level. What is your plan for the next 24 hours? Watching a film by Ben Rivers ( The Sky Trembles and the Earth is Afraid and Two Eyes are Not Brothers ), going for a walk, and send you this e-mail.
Born 1989, Tangier. Hicham Gardaf lives and works between Tangier and London – Featured, Tangier Diaries & Intersections. See more of Hicham’s work here – Website
