From teacher to artist: How Hicham Benohoud Turned His Classroom into Art

Hicham Benohoud, born in 1968 grew up in Marrakech. As a child, he was full of energy. “I was hyperactive. I destroyed everything around me,” he says. But when he discovered art classes in school, he found a new way to express himself. “I liked my art classes and realized I wanted to become an artist.”

He studied visual arts in high school and earned a diploma in 1987. But since he didn’t have the money to study abroad and there were few opportunities in Morocco, he chose to become an art teacher. He taught for 13 years in a high school in Marrakech. “I had no choice. I had to find a way to stay connected to art.”

While teaching, he also created art. His students became part of his work. In La Salle de Classe (The Classroom), he photographed them in unusual positionsstanding on tables, lying on the floor. “That was my way to look critically at my society,” he explains. “It was my reaction to a society that refuses to question its past, its traditions, and its values.”

In 2002, Benohoud decided to leave teaching. “I wanted to travel, do exhibitions, artist residencies, visit museums and studios. It opened up many possibilities.”

His creative process always starts with an idea. “I make sketches first. If I get the chance, I produce the work. Sometimes it takes days, sometimes years.” Since then, he has created more than twelve major photo projects.

One of his best-known works is The Hole (2005). He asked families in the old city of Marrakech if he could break holes in their walls and ceilings, and photograph them in the damaged rooms. “Many people think it’s Photoshop, but everything you see is real. We even made a behind-the-scenes video,” he says. “Photographing people inside holes is a way to show how stuck they are in life.”

Benohoud’s work mixes photography, painting, and performance. He often explores identity, power, and control. His work has been shown in major museums and events like Centre Pompidou, Tate Modern, Africa Remix, Paris Photo, and the Dakar Biennale.