Souss-Massa
Photographer Jacob Black documents the region of Souss-Massa in the South of Morocco. An area where mainly men live there, living in unsafe and impractical caves in the cliffs off to the Atlantic Ocean without support from their government.
Photography Jacob Black
The region of Souss Massa is a national park and UNESCO heritage site situated in the south of Morrocco. The landscapes are sparse and mysterious, where the rolling sand dunes and sea-carved cliffs converge on the turbulent Atlantic Ocean. Looking onto the ocean are caves houses and dwellings which line the landscapes between Agider and Aglou (70km). The caves dug into the cliffs, often with grandiose overreaching structures making for an impressive and unique environment. The caves are generations old and small towns have arisen around these communities as the prospects of work on the sea created a demand for living.
Complications have emerged in recent years; employment opportunities, cliff erosion and lack of government support or infrastructure have led to many of the dwellings descending back into the sea. The caves have been deemed unsafe and impractical and it's now against the law to build new dwellings with many residents moving to villages or the government-made housing for fishermen. Although at this time many of the caves are still inhabited.
Residents (predominantly men) speak of a profound connection to the ocean and the local environment and days and nights are dictated by the Mura (tides, swell directions). This approach to life is spoken with a sense of idealism and adoration for the caves, ocean and the region Souss-Massa.
Souss-Massa looks to these visceral, fragile and distinctive landscapes through visually exploring how individuals interact ideas of home, drawing on the myth and magic of Souss-Massa region and the individual connection to personal surroundings and habitats.
“The landscapes are sparse and mysterious, where the rolling sand dunes and sea-carved cliffs converge on the turbulent Atlantic Ocean.”
About Jacob
Jacob Black (1995) is a UK based artist and photographer working in documentary. Jacob completed a BA in Politics (2018) and an MA in Photojournalism (2021).
He explores ideas of land and environment, drawing on myth and the human connection to personal surroundings and habitats. Jacob's work is often informed by the ambiguities within the photographic medium, exploring how darkroom abstractions and digital manipulation can create narrative in different forms of documentary storytelling.
To see more of his work, visit his website or follow him on Instagram
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