São Paulo – A unique blue light. So Brazilian photographer Paulo Fabre described the surroundings in Tanger, Morocco. The photographer spent four days in the city in 2018, and when he returned to Brazil, he noticed similarities with Rio de Janeiro. Fabre’s idea gave rise to the project Rio-Tanger, in which he draws parallels between pictures he took in places like Cinelândia and Lapa and the Moroccan city.
Despite years had passed between the pictures, as those taken in Rio de Janeiro date back from 2010 and 2011, Fabre saw a bridge between the daily life of Cariocas and Morroccans. “I got into my head that I had to go to Tanger. It’s a city with a long history that dates back from the Phoenicians, and it’s now going through a moment of renovation. Furthermore, many artists go went there like American authors Paul Bowles and Jane Bowles, who moved to Tanger and welcomed writers like Truman Capote. And The Rolling Stones spent some time in Tanger in the late 1960s,” the photographer said.
Another artist, painter Henri Matisse, also discussed the lights of Tanger, Fabre points out. “He attributes a major turning point in his career to the lights and colors of Tanger,” he said.
The book
The series now leads to a photo book to be published later this year by Moroccan publishing house Khbar Bladna. It’ll come out in the art for collectors section and will be the first book by the Brazilian artist to be released by the publishing house. Fabre contacted the publishing house after coming across a book while visiting local bookstores. “I bought a book by them, and then I wrote to the publisher. She really enjoyed my idea for the pictures,” he said about international artist Elena Prentice, who owns Khbar Bladna.
The book is expected to be launched in May, when the Moroccan city will host a literature fair. The book features a few texts to be published in English, French and Arabic with an initial print run of 150 to 200 copies.
“I’m extremely happy to have a book published in Morocco. I believe it’s the start of a conversation between the countries and Rio and Tanger. They’re both port cities. Rio is our landmark. And Tanger got this mix of peoples. Founded by the Phoenicians, it has always been a port, a trade city. In Rio we also have a bit of everything,” the photographer explained.
Fabre plans on publishing the book in Brazil, too. “I’d like to launch it here and hold a little exhibit aimed at starting this conversation. If a photographer has saw so many similarities between the two places, I believe there’s more that can bring Brazil and Morocco closer together,” he added, mentioning he is searching for support to make the project a reality.
Contact info
https://www.paulofabre.com.br/riotanger
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
