Benoît Paillé

Allo everyone i’ve been in morocco for about twenty days nows with my big flash that creates circular shapes, so i keep making circles almost obsessively. And i will try to reach Mauritania by electric trotinette. more than anything, this trip is a way for me to question how to decolonize my photographic practice, how not to reproduce stereotypes or adopt the familiar posture of a photographer coming from a colonizing country and producing exploitative images elsewhere. because of that, i’ve stepped back from choosing my subjects and instead position myself as a kind of collaborative tool. i take out the flash, make a few images, and very often people approach me on their own, curious about the setup, and ask to be photographed. we exchange contacts, though i’ve lost some along the way(if you recognize yourself in a photo, write to me and i’ll send it to you). i’ve also stopped directing bodies and poses: no more stiff, straight contemporary photography postures à la alec soth. if someone wants to throw up a peace sign or adopt a spontaneous gesture, i won’t stop them. anything can be meaningful, and photographers probably take themselves a bit too seriously. if you’re in morocco too, we can meet. i’m traveling across the country by electric trotinette(photo5) which isn’t very conceptual, but it creates space for encounters and improvised situations. so here are 20 photographs, unretouched, simply developed on a badly calibrated screen. and today is also my birthday. if you want to support the art, treat yourself to a print you can contact my gallery @galerie_c.o.a , they’ll handle it like pros.

Les kids étaient curieux de voir ce que ça donne, un splash d’eau, en photo.

**Je suis en train de perdre mon chien de service et je cherche un puppy** Salut tout le monde. Beaucoup d’entre vous connaissez et aimez Gigi, et vous êtes au courant de la place qu’elle prend dans ma vie. C’est mon chien de service qui m’accompagne partout et qui m’aide avec mon anxiété. J’ai appris cette semaine qu’elle a un cancer et qu’elle va nous quitter dans quelques semaines. Je suis dévasté et j’essaie de me préparer à cette transition le mieux que je peux. Je cherche un puppy (deux ou trois mois, pas un chien de race, moins de 20 kilos quand adulte de préférence). J’aimerais partir son éducation de zéro pour en faire un chien de service. J’ai fait pareil avec Gigi et c’est une chienne extraordinaire qui a eu un impact immense sur les vies de beaucoup de gens et sur la mienne. Même si elle va partir rapidement, elle est toujours en forme et je veux qu’elle partage la fin de sa vie et son savoir avec le nouveau chien. Je suis dans la région de Montréal présentement, mais je peux me déplacer. Merci de partager ce message avec vos connaissances. Si tu étais touché par la présence de Gigi, merci de le partager dans les commentaires. Je ne peux pas vraiment gérer tous les messages personnels en ce moment. Je vous aime. I'm Losing My Service Dog and Looking for a Puppy Hey everyone, Many of you know and love Gigi, and you’re aware of how important she is in my life. She’s my service dog, always by my side, helping me manage my anxiety. This week, I found out she has cancer and only a few weeks left with us. I’m devastated and trying to prepare for this transition as best as I can. I’m looking for a puppy (around two or three months old, not a purebred, preferably under 20 kg when fully grown). I’d like to start their training from scratch to become my new service dog. I did the same with Gigi, and she turned out to be an incredible companion who has deeply impacted my life and the lives of many others. Even though she doesn’t have much time left, she’s still doing well, and I want her to share the end of her life and her wisdom with the new pup. I’m currently in the Montreal area, but I’m willing to travel.

Sahara expérimentations, Merzouga, Morocco, 2026 Print--> @galerie_c.o.a

[2/3] Residency project initiated by @nicolasdenicourt 👀 & @baillat_studio — Guest artist : @benoit_paille . Benoît Paillé has been in perpetual movement and without fixed housing since 2012. His work’s documentary approach calls into question notions of private property, borders and tourism. Through his photographs, he denounces the industrialization of the landscape all while drawing attention to its structures and its symbolism. His process reveals a desire to interrupt, to dismantle the codes that typically govern images. Paillé’s excessive use of the flash is a way to inscribe his presence onto the environment via his own aesthetic; it is a weapon with which to confront the desert that is reality. . 47° 25′ 11″ N, 61° 53′ 44″ W Magdalen Islands Quebec, Canada . @ilesdelamadeleine #ilesdelamadeleine #magdalenislands #quebec #canada #benoitpaille

Portrait et Balade dans les rue de Essaouira avec le rond en vert,Morocco,2026

[1/3] Residency project initiated by @nicolasdenicourt 👀 & @baillat_studio . Guest artist : @benoit_paille 47° 25′ 11″ N, 61° 53′ 44″ W Magdalen Islands Quebec, Canada . Located in the heart of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the Magdalen Islands are known for following a unique rhythm that fluctuates with the seasons. The archipelago is home to thirteen thousand year-round residents and welcomes up to sixty thousand visitors in the summer months. This alone can take its toll on the territory and its residents. Short-staffed and with little housing options for outside workers, businesses struggle to keep up. That said, three other seasons follow these busy months on the islands. Fall, winter, and spring offer space and time for reflection and creation. It is in this spirit that Hors-Saison, an art residency intended as a tribute to slow living, came to be. An invitation for the artist to develop a personal connection with the territory. . @ilesdelamadeleine

photo dump

Some portrait i make in the street of Morocco,2026

Portrait of Soufiane, at the Garage Iriki in Zagora, Morocco,2026

Portrait de Assain qui habite une petite maison qu'il s'est construit en dessous des tours de télécommunications à une 20aine de KM de Tata au Maroc.

New work,Maroc, 2026 Yo chue revenu au Québec, je reviens de faire du ski de fond dans tempête à mtl Moi qui pensais skippé l'hiver avec plus de 3 mois au maroc..... Btw Je vais exposé 8 grande photos à la @foireplural avec la @galerie_c.o.a du 10 au 12 avril !