The Poetry of Light and Silence: Mehdi Ait El Mallali and the Atlas

Some photographers take pictures of what they see. Others capture what we feel: things like silence, emotion, or memory. Mehdi Ait El Mallali (born 1997 in El Hajeb, Morocco) is that kind of artist. His work is not just about places. It’s about feelings, identity, and time.

He started as a self-taught photographer, exploring and documenting the Atlas Mountains. Over time, his work became more personal and poetic. Photography became his way to speak without words to show how he sees the world, and how he feels inside.

Light is very important in his photos. Not just for the image, but as a language. Sometimes it’s strong and sharp, other times soft and quiet like a memory. Mehdi is influenced by cinema, especially filmmakers like Tarkovsky and Ozu, who also used light and silence to tell emotional stories.

His subjects include landscapes, people, and social relationships. He watches carefully. He doesn’t force meaning: he discovers it. His photos feel calm, but powerful. They show beauty in solitude and ask simple but deep questions: Where are we? What do we feel here? What connects us?

In 2024, Mehdi won the Mustaqbal Prize. He was invited for a residency and solo exhibition at the Montresso Art Foundation in Marrakech. This was a return to Morocco, but now as an artist with international recognition.

Still, his approach stays the same: observe, feel, reflect. He doesn’t try to impress. He tries to share. In his photos, loneliness becomes beauty, and the Atlas Mountains are more than a place—they become a symbol of quiet strength and deep connection.