Who is Naïma?
Naïma El Kadi is a Belgian photographer with Moroccan roots. She is a research photographer, working on long-term projects and capturing personal stories. These stories often deal with identity, family relationships and social issues. She published a book called My Olive Tree, Memouna, and has been featured in the Rencontres d'Arles collection, among others.
Naïma has her say
I began a journey to the past, to happiness, to 'home'.
How these concepts have been translated into images can be seen in this series. The photographs tell a story of what used to be but is no longer. A glimpse of memories translated into images. It is a personal story that is at once universal and topical.
I still feel connected to my homeland, Morocco. It is an indescribable feeling that you can feel at home in both places, without fully belonging to either. A story of wanting to hold onto both places, but also having to let go. During my search, I rediscovered the sense of homecoming in my past. This work is an ode to the loved ones and memories of my childhood.
It is an indescribable feeling that you can feel at home in two places, without fully belonging to either.
What is homesickness?
For me, homesickness equates to a feeling, missing the past, longing for something. The photographs tell a story of what used to be but is no longer. A glimpse of memories translated into images.
