Moroccan Photographer Explores Oasis Culture at Sharjah Biennial

“Through visual and auditory experiences,” Kilito explains, “I aimed to offer visitors an immersive encounter with the landscapes, traditions and everyday realities that define these unique environments.”

Kilito, who holds political science degrees from Canadian universities, was led to photography during a class in visual sociology. “The course introduced me to a method that allowed me to connect academic research with visual storytelling,” he says. “I worked on a project about homeless people in Montreal. I started conducting in-depth research, engaging in conversations with experts and consulting scientific articles and books. Once I had acquired enough knowledge, I felt prepared to go into the field and begin documenting through photography.”

He has since worked for various media outlets internationally, but his home country remains special. “Morocco is fundamental to why I became a photographer,” says Kilito. “My photography is deeply rooted in my personal history. It informs my creative vision and allows me to genuinely connect with and document the lives of those I photograph. I see it as my responsibility to raise important questions, stimulate dialogue and challenge perspectives.”

Kilito’s works at Sharjah, under the title Kafila, meaning “caravan” in Arabic, relate to the biennial’s theme “to carry” because, he explains, they refer to “going from one oasis to another one.” They also reflect the theme by regarding oases as places that carry history, traditions, ancestral knowledge, the past, present and future.

His travel to Figuig stemmed from a conversation with biennial cocurator Natasha Ginwala about the significance of wells and ancestral water-management practices in sustaining life in arid environments. “I encountered what I believe to be one of the most complex and ingenious traditional irrigation systems I have seen,” says Kilito.

Two textile patchwork pieces also form part of Kafila. Over the past two years, Kilito has collected about 60 melhfas, traditional garments worn by women in southern Morocco. The cloth holds deep cultural significance, reflecting the identity and resilience of desert women, he explains. After they are worn, the cloth is often recycled by women in a practice that demonstrates the resourcefulness of nomadic communities that also regularly repurpose such fabrics to construct their tents.

“In cutting, sewing and assembling the melhfas into a single installation, I sought to underscore the importance of sustainability deeply rooted in local traditions while offering a visual tribute to the central role of women in Saharan society,” explains Kilito. “In Saharan tribal society, women occupy a vital position within the social and familial structure.”

Historically, during trans-Saharan trade men departed on long journeys with caravans and women stayed behind, leading domestic life.

“Through this installation, I seek to honor the strength, independence and enduring presence of desert women, whose contributions continue to shape and sustain the cultural fabric of their communities,” Kilito says.

Documenting oases across the Middle East and their inherent beauty, fragility and culture has been part of Kilito’s work for the past six years as part of a comparative research project. Thus far he has shot oases in Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Tunisia and Mauritania, charting the effects of climate change.

“In Morocco, I explored the visible consequences of global warming and environmental degradation on oases and the communities that depend on them,” he says. “In Saudi Arabia my visit to the AlUla oasis revealed a region undergoing rapid transformation due to ambitious urban, touristic and cultural development plans. This juxtaposition of disruption and preservation provided a compelling direction through which to examine the tension between modernization and sustainability.”

Since early 2024, Kilito has expanded his project thanks to the support of The Climate Pledge and the National Geographic Society, which gave him support to photograph oases in Egypt and Tunisia. During the autumn of 2025, he plans to go back to Mauritania to do the same.

“Each of these regions presents distinct ecosystems and cultural practices, yet they share common challenges in adapting to climate change and balancing development with ecological preservation,” says Kilito. “By capturing the raw beauty of these landscapes and the resilience of their communities, I seek to inspire a collective effort to confront climate change, protect these fragile ecosystems and ensure the survival of oases for future generations.”

The otherworldly beauty of Kilito’s images pairs the abundance of nature with the notion of fragility. They preserve in time areas that will likely change as the Earth changes, capturing their intrinsic importance to local environments and the communities that dwell nearby.

The literal and metaphorical meaning of an oasis is a place to go for nourishment, serenity and respite. Kilito’s work at Sharjah transports the spectator both visually and aurally to the oases in Morocco. His Oasis Symphony offers an immersive sound installation that invites visitors on a sensorial journey into the heart of an oasis.

“From the gentle flow of water through ancient irrigation canals to the rustling of palm fronds in the wind, each sound has been thoughtfully recorded and composed into a seamless auditory landscape,” says Kilito.

Seamlessly juxtaposed with the displayed images, the installation features a rich, multilayered palette of sounds: the voice of the muezzin (the mosque official responsible for the call to prayer); native birds; ceremonial chants; children’s laughter; moving water; farmers at work; and even bees in flight. The sound installation transports viewers of Kilito’s photographs into the palimpsest of the Moroccan oasis, demonstrating how these natural places for retreat and vitality hold not just the wonders and beauty of nature but also evoke a rich culture that dates back thousands of years.

“I’m trying to amplify the perspectives of those most impacted by oasis degradation,” says Kilito, “sharing their stories of innovation, resilience and sustainable practices to inspire hope and collective action.”