Dalila Azzi: Could you tell me about your journey?
Dalel Tangour :
After earning a scientific baccalaureate, I pursued my studies at the Higher Institute of Art, Architecture, and Urban Planning in Tunis, where I obtained a master's degree in art and communication in 1980. From 1981 to 1984, I studied at the School of Fine Arts in Algiers before returning to Tunisia.
I then combined teaching visual arts, mainly photography, with my own artistic practice. Passionate about black-and-white analog photography, I have remained dedicated to this medium and continue to photograph and exhibit at my own pace. I am unconcerned with time, competition, or the need to be competitive. This rhythm suits me perfectly and aligns with my life as a woman, mother, and photographer, allowing me to juggle my priorities peacefully.
Another distinctive aspect of my work lies in the choice of exhibition venues for my photographic series, often incorporating sound installations and horizontal projections. These installations invite the viewer to engage in unexpected ways: their shadow, projected into the space, becomes an integral part of the artwork.
D.A: Why did you choose photography as a means of expression?
Dalel Tangour :
To answer your question, I will address three different aspects.
First, on a personal level, I consider myself a modest, solitary woman, deeply attached to harmony and beauty. Any form of noise, nuisance, or visual pollution exhausts me. My camera has become a kind of refuge; through its viewfinder, I filter and select my subjects. Framing allows me to choose what I want to see, offering me an escape and shielding me from mediocrity and banality.
The second aspect relates to something more intimate: my tactile phobia, a sensory handicap that paradoxically sharpened my observational skills and critical eye. This hypersensitivity led me to express myself primarily through imagery, where touch plays no role. My passion for cinema was another form of escape. I understood early on the power and impact of the image. Unlike most students of my generation, who followed traditional paths in painting, engraving, or sculpture, I chose a different route: that of the image.
Lastly, with a scientific baccalaureate, I was naturally drawn to physics and chemistry. The photographic process, based on optics and chemistry, fascinated me. I remain captivated by the contrasts of shadow and light, the magical moments of dawn and dusk, and the intense light of the zenith. This continues to intrigue and fuel my passion for photography.
D.A: How do you choose your subjects?
Dalel Tangour :
My camera serves as a travel journal. Subjects come to me. I capture an image, then let it mature, steeping in time. I always work on themes, organized into photographic series. A single image can sometimes spark several series in my mind, as I prioritize reflection over immediacy. My approach is more aesthetic, conceptualized through the series rather than the instant. Curators and critics often describe my work as a "poetic vision of memory and identity."
My constant back-and-forth between the two shores of the Mediterranean, along with my travels in the Maghreb and Africa, particularly in Bamako, has nurtured my passion for light, heritage, and the preservation of identity and memory. My photographs are poetic archives, bearing witness to memory and history.
D.A: What are the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a photographer?
Dalel Tangour :
I often reflect on the challenge posed by the trivialization of photography today, linked to its history. I, who cherish the celebration of slowness, observe that the lucrative market of mobile phones and social media has, in a way, heralded the death of the image. There is total confusion between intimacy and "extimacy." Nowadays, everything is revealed, exposed, trivialized, and often legitimized—even violence, horrors, death, and wars. These realities, sanitized by retouched images, eventually become aesthetic, almost beautiful. We are overwhelmed by this constant flow of images, which we absorb without truly reflecting, until we reach saturation. The image, in this frenzied overconsumption, loses its meaning and impact. It dies under the weight of its own proliferation.
D.A: How do you view the evolution of photography in the Maghreb since you started?
Dalel Tangour :
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, my country experienced numerous advancements. Important political and legal decisions were made, paving the way for greater social freedoms. As a young student and photographer at the time, I mostly sparked curiosity and questions. My photographic work, choices, and subjects of interest were different, which meant I wasn’t seen as a competitor. Photography was largely a male-dominated field, especially in areas like reportage.
Since then, photography has seen a true boom in the Maghreb, much like cinema, supported by technological advancements. In the past, working in these fields required significant resources—cameras and equipment were bulky and discreetly used. Today, technology has transformed this realm: equipment is more accessible, social media has democratized image dissemination, and photography has gained a new status. It is no longer limited to raw imagery; artists now explore its dimensions fully.
The young generation of photographers in the Maghreb is remarkably talented. Their concerns differ from those of previous generations, as contemporary events and sensibilities have changed. They bring a fresh perspective, embodying a contemporary aesthetic that reflects the 21st century and ushers in a new era for visual art in the Maghreb.
D.A: As the first photographer in the Maghreb, what advice would you give to aspiring photographers?
Dalel Tangour :
The most essential and absolute advice: be yourself. Don’t get swept up in the whirlwind of the star system and consumerist dictates—it’s a trap, an endless race. The sensitivity of the eye is, in itself, a form of commitment. Our heritage constitutes our identity, guiding our paths and lives. To be contemporary is also to draw from our own riches. Cultivate a sensitive, conscious gaze that bears witness to your time. Today, imagery is omnipresent, but true photography goes far beyond this simple proliferation of images.
D.A: Do you have any dreams or aspirations you’d like to achieve in your career?
Dalel Tangour :
One significant project was realized through our association, In'Art Hammamet, where we collaborate with young graduates from the School of Fine Arts in Nabeul, as well as colleagues and artist friends. The goal is to support the youth of the region in their academic and professional journeys by offering them opportunities and guidance.
After four decades dedicated to photography, my aspirations now turn toward a dream close to my heart. I would like to become, in a way, the Ibn Battuta of the 21st century—crossing the Mediterranean and visiting coastal villages untouched by mass tourism. My intention is to draw from the shared memory of these places, photographing fishermen’s knots and the scarves of women awaiting the return of sailors, their gazes lost between the distant blue of the sea and the gray of the sky. My project is to create a book that bears witness to this memory and Mediterranean heritage—a heritage that is both common and unique, capable of weaving connections between our cultures, reconnecting our similarities within our differences.
©AYN Gallery
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