Seif Kousmate

Seif Kousmate (Essaouira, Morocco, 1988) is a visual artist and documentary photographer based in Tangier. A self-taught photographer, he began his artistic career in 2014 after leaving his profession as a civil engineer. His work focuses on documentary narratives that explore contemporary social dynamics across Africa, addressing themes such as migration, marginalization and collective memory. His early projects documented Rwandan youth in the aftermath of the genocide, the Haratin communities of Mauritania—descendants of formerly enslaved people—and Sub-Saharan migrants traveling across the continent in search of new opportunities. In Morocco, his work has examined cultural traditions such as the Boujloud celebrations and the impact of climate change on communities in the Atlas Mountains. His most recognized project, “Waha,” is a long-term visual essay on Moroccan oases and the ecological and social transformations they face. His work has been exhibited internationally at major institutions and festivals including Rencontres d’Arles, PHotoESPAÑA, Foam Museum Amsterdam, Photoville New York, Copenhagen Photo Festival and Photo Basel. He has received several international awards and grants, including the Musée du Quai Branly Photography Prize (2022), the 6Mois Award (2021) and Portrait of Humanity (2024) recognition. In 2020 he co-founded the KOZ Collective.