Mounir Raji's 'Perfect Day' Captures the Calm in Tourism at Rijksmuseum
Dutch-Moroccan photographer Mounir Raji's exhibition 'Perfect Day. Mounir Raji Photographs Tourism' is on view at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam until 14 January 2024. The series, commissioned as the latest edition of Document Nederland, explores the tranquility within the chaos of tourism. Raji photographed on a cruise ship in Curaçao and Aruba, depicting holidaymakers and crew with dignity in a pastel palette. Born in Zaandam in 1982 to Moroccan immigrant parents, Raji studied at the FOTOfactory in Amsterdam. His earlier series 'Dreamland' (2017) challenges stereotypical representations of Morocco, and 'Yallah' (2020) evolved from that project, presented at FotoFestival Naarden in 2021. Raji's work also appeared in 'Splendour and Bliss – Arts of the Islamic World' at Kunstmuseum Den Haag in 2018. He has shot for Vogue, Elle, Adidas, and G-Star RAW. Raji won the Rijksmuseum commission in early 2023 and plans a series on the Nile.
Key facts
- Exhibition 'Perfect Day. Mounir Raji Photographs Tourism' at Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, until 14 Jan 2024.
- Series commissioned as Document Nederland, the museum's annual photography showcase.
- Theme of tourism chosen to celebrate post-pandemic border openings.
- Raji photographed on a cruise ship in Curaçao and Aruba.
- Raji was born in 1982 in Zaandam to Moroccan immigrant parents.
- Studied at FOTOfactory, a private photography school in Amsterdam.
- Series 'Dreamland' (2017) is his first photobook, exploring Morocco.
- Series 'Yallah' (2020) presented at FotoFestival Naarden in 2021.
Entities
Artists
- Mounir Raji
Institutions
- Rijksmuseum
- Document Nederland
- FOTOfactory
- Kunstmuseum Den Haag
- FotoFestival Naarden
- Vogue
- Elle
- Adidas
- G-Star RAW
- Canvas
Locations
- Amsterdam
- Netherlands
- Curaçao
- Aruba
- Caribbean
- Zaandam
- Morocco
- The Hague
- Egypt
- Nile