Ben Dauchez - Taghazout, surimpression #3

In this image, Ben Dauchez overlays multiple views of a colorful facade. Grids, frames and openings duplicate themselves until architecture tilts toward an almost abstract composition.

The turquoise, magenta, violet, and pink surfaces organize space into successive planes. The metal lines, repeated and offset, create a sense of depth and movement, while the wall’s material anchors the work in the reality of the photographed place.

A photograph where color and superposition transform a Taghazout façade into a graphic construction.

Framing not included.

Fusion of two worlds: The multiple exposure allows these two universes to be superimposed — the formal rigor of Bauhaus and the sensorial and historical richness of Morocco. Perhaps the clean lines of Bauhaus intertwine with Moroccan architectural motifs, such as arches, mosaics, and the textures of walls made of earth or stone. This fusion creates a kind of visual dialogue between modernity and tradition.

Conceptual approach: The use of multi-exposure can also symbolize the idea of interaction between past and present, between modern and traditional architecture. Morocco, rich in cultural symbols, could be seen here as a testing ground for transposing Western Bauhaus concepts into a more Eastern, or even Mediterranean, context.

Play of light and color: The contrast between the sharp shadows of Bauhaus and the warm, diffuse colors typical of Morocco (ochers, reds, blues, and oranges) could be emphasized. This could offer a poetic dimension where each overlaid image evokes a sense of movement, transformation, and immersion in a hybrid space between East and West.

The impact of multi-exposure:

Temporalities and spatiality: By overlaying several moments or spaces, the technique of multi-exposure could also suggest a temporal experience, as if one were traveling through different eras or different perceptions of Morocco. This play with time and space echoes notions of fluidity and transition in Bauhaus culture, while drawing on the multiple layers of meaning and history embodied by Morocco.

Cultural and aesthetic duality: Finally, this work could express a reflection on the relationships between Western and Eastern cultures, between European functionalism of Bauhaus and the sensuality of Moroccan forms. Multi-exposure can create an atmosphere where the two worlds are not opposed but rather interconnected within a single artistic vision.

Passionate about photography from a young age, Ben DAUCHEZ began in the neighborhood studios of La Rochelle. There he acquired the full range of fundamentals of traditional photography, from shooting to retouching and through to the darkroom. At 22, freshly graduated, he moved to Paris to further his training by becoming a set assistant for Daguerre studios, Le Petit Oiseau va sortir, and Studio Zéro. He had the chance to collaborate with and assist some of the most talented photographers: Bettina RHEIMS, Patrick DEMARCHELIER, Terry RICHARDSON, Ellen VON UNWERTH, Marcus MAM... From certain decisive encounters emerged beautiful projects and long collaborations, notably with André RAU, Bettina RHEIMS (the sultry exhibition INRI and its eponymous book at Editions Albin Michel) and Peter BEARD (Pirelli calendar 2009 in Botswana).

His photos have been published, among others, by Condé Nast Editions (French and international), Première, WallPaper, ID, Madame Figaro, Lifestyles, Dandy Magazine... His world also interests brands with very different brand codes for which he has led institutional and/or advertising campaigns such as Dior (beauty), L'Oréal, Peugeot, Philip Morris, and Burger King (advertising awarded at the Dubai Lynx).

Ben DAUCHEZ has also produced numerous portraits of celebrities (IGGY POP, Woody ALLEN, Grace JONES, Jean DUJARDIN, Gilles LELLOUCHE, Olivier MARCHAL, Carole BOUQUET, Charlotte GAINSBOURG, ...) of beauty, of men of the world (Olivier DASSAULT, Jacques SEGUELA...) and of travelers...

This photographic path has since allowed him to freely immortalize the human beauty, aesthetic, and spiritual essence of each personality.