Bousbir Bordello, Casablanca, Morocco c. 1938

Denise Bellon took this photograph, Bousbir Bordello, Casablanca, Morocco with a camera, obviously, at some point in her life. It looks like a still from a movie, the light and shadow create so much drama, a kind of film noir vibe. The rough texture of the walls in the foreground, is so different from the smooth archway. The play of light is incredible; the way it catches the edges of the architecture, turning those simple shapes into abstract forms. This interplay between architectural detail and human activity makes it such a compelling image. The eye is drawn to the figures in the background, but it's the walls that hold the picture together. It reminds me a bit of the early street photography of Lisette Model, both artists capture these slices of life with a gritty realism. But Bellon brings a certain painterly quality to the work that you don’t always see. Anyway, what do I know? Photography, painting, it’s all just looking, right?