Leila Alaoui died while on assignment for Amnesty International in Burkina Faso on January 19, 2016 after she was severly wounded in a January 15 al-Qaeda attack on Splendid hotel and nearby Cappuccino Cafe. Her death brings the death toll from the attacks to 30 people.
Al Jazeera interviewed Alaoui in July 2015.
Marrakech, Morocco – Morocco’s location on the Mediterranean Sea has made it a departure point for undocumented migrants in Africa hoping to cross to Europe.
These dangerous journeys have resulted in many migrants drowning and the Mediterranean earning the morbid nickname of “the sea cemetery”, with a recent incident claiming 800 victims. Some who do not cross opt to settle instead in Morocco, where they have reportedly experienced abuse from the local population.
Moroccan-French photographer and video artist Leila Alaoui has attempted to tackle such issues through her art. At the Traces of the Future exhibit at the Marrakech Museum of Photography and Visual Arts, which runs until September, Alaoui’s video installation Crossings showcases testimonies of sub-Saharan migrants against the backdrop of the Mediterranean.
Al Jazeera spoke with Alaoui about Crossings, as well as her focus on migration throughout her larger body of work.