When Roots Meet Vision - Ancrage in Tunis
Featured in La Presse de Tunisie
By Fatma Koraichi
In February 2024, my exhibition Ancrage opened in Tunis, and was warmly received by the national arts community, so much so that it was covered in an article by La Presse, one of Tunisia’s most respected newspapers on culture and public life.
Ancrage was conceived as an artistic exploration of identity, memory, and cultural roots, responding to the forces that shape who we are and how we see ourselves in relation to place, tradition, and contemporary life. The title itself — Ancrage (“anchoring”), reflects a commitment to grounding artistic expression in both personal and collective heritage while engaging with present-day artistic questions and aesthetic languages.
According to La Presse, the exhibition resonated because it offered a bridge between the past and the present, between tradition and innovation, inviting viewers to consider how cultural foundations inform artistic creation. La Pressehighlighted the way Ancrage drew upon symbol, material, and narrative to reflect deeper questions about belonging and transformation — themes that feel particularly poignant in Tunisia’s vibrant, evolving cultural landscape.
What made Ancrage especially meaningful was its dialogue between form and meaning: works on display were not simply visual statements but invitations to reflect on identity, memory, and how art can anchor us amidst rapid social and cultural shifts. This dialogue between aesthetic innovation and rootedness is what La Presse emphasized in its coverage, illustrating that contemporary Tunisian art is capable of speaking both locally and universally.
Being featured in La Presse was an important moment for the exhibition — and for me as a curator, because it meant that the ideas behind Ancrage were entering the broader cultural conversation in Tunisia. What began as a personal and curatorial project became, in the public eye, a meaningful reflection on identity, cultural continuity, and the evolving role of art in society.
Looking back, Ancrage was not just an exhibition in Tunis; it was a moment of encounter — between art and audience, history and present, introspection and expression. I’m deeply grateful to La Presse for recognizing the layers of meaning in the project and for helping Ancrage reach a wider audience.
A Concept Inspired by Baudelaire
The curatorial framework drew from the words of Charles Baudelaire:
“La modernité, c’est le transitoire, le fugitif, le contingent,
la moitié de l’art, dont l’autre moitié est l’éternel et l’immuable.”
Modernity is fleeting — yet art is also eternal.
This duality shaped the entire exhibition.
Ancrage proposed that every artist is suspended between inheritance and innovation. Whether consciously or not, artists absorb cultural memory while simultaneously pushing beyond it. Beauty, therefore, does not lie in rupture alone, nor in nostalgia — but in the dynamic tension between tradition and modernity.
This exhibition was, as written in the catalogue, “Une invitation au voyage.”
The Artists: Generations in Dialogue
The exhibition brought together emblematic figures of Tunisian modern and contemporary art, creating a conversation across generations.
Jellal Ben Abdallah (1921–2017)
Born in Tunis on May 26, 1921, and passing away on November 9, 2017, Jellal Ben Abdallah was one of Tunisia’s most distinctive modern painters, whose work became deeply associated with the poetic aura of Sidi Bou Said.
Profoundly inspired by the architecture, light, and atmosphere of his native village, he initially developed a practice rooted in the tradition of Eastern miniature painting. Around the 1970s, he transitioned toward larger formats, working primarily with acrylics while incorporating gold and silver — materials that reinforced the precious, icon-like quality of his compositions.
His artistic universe centers on genre scenes: traditional trades, intimate everyday moments, still lifes, and above all, graceful female figures often depicted within richly decorated interiors. These works are not merely descriptive representations of Tunisian life; they are timeless tableaux that preserve and elevate cultural memory.
Ben Abdallah’s style is marked by refined linearity and compositional clarity. His drawing is delicate and hieratic, his forms simplified yet expressive, and his palette soft and luminous. Drawing inspiration from Oriental iconography, he created a visual language that bridges miniature tradition with modern pictorial scale.
In the exhibition Ancrage, his work embodied the idea of continuity — serving as a visual anchor to Tunisia’s aesthetic heritage and collective identity.
Rafik El Kamel (1944–2021)
Born on June 4, 1944, and passing away on March 12, 2021, Rafik El Kamel was a central figure in modern Tunisian art, embodying a form of intellectual and expressive modernism that reshaped the country’s artistic landscape.
He graduated in 1966 from the École des Beaux-Arts in Tunis before continuing his studies in Paris at the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs, specializing in monumental art. During four formative years at the Despierre studio, he developed a deep commitment to the purity of painterly expression, influenced by the contemporary spirit of artists such as Antoni Tàpies and Pablo Picasso.
Upon returning to Tunisia in 1971, El Kamel became a professor at the École des Beaux-Arts in Tunis. There, he introduced a singular and progressive approach to the teaching of painting, encouraging experimentation, conceptual thinking, and intellectual rigor. His pedagogical influence marked a decisive shift in Tunisian art education.
Driven by the same spirit of innovation, he played an active role in founding Galerie Irtissem in 1973, alongside artists such as Mahmoud Sehili, Ridha Ben Abdallah, Tahar Mimita, and other emerging voices. Conceived as both an exhibition and research space, Galerie Irtissem became a platform for dialogue, experimentation, and the development of contemporary artistic language in Tunisia.
Rafik El Kamel’s work moves beyond traditional figuration toward abstraction and expressive exploration. His painting reflects a continuous search for meaning through material, gesture, and conceptual depth.
In the exhibition Ancrage, his presence symbolized transition — marking the passage from figurative heritage toward modernist and conceptual experimentation, anchoring the narrative of Tunisian art within a broader intellectual and global context.
Aly Ben Salem
A bridge between Tunisia and Scandinavia, Aly Ben Salem’s symbolic, curved, flowing forms suggest infinity and spiritual continuity. Having represented Tunisia internationally, his work embodies cultural hybridity long before globalization became commonplace.
In Ancrage, his pieces illustrated how tradition can travel, transform, and remain intact.
Mourad Salem
Born in Tunis, Mourad Salem followed an unconventional path to art. After pursuing scientific studies in biology, biochemistry, and pharmacy, he chose to dedicate himself fully to artistic practice. His international trajectory has taken him through studios in Montreal, New York, Dublin, Paris, and currently Normandy, shaping a practice deeply informed by cross-cultural experience.
Salem has exhibited widely in London, France, Strasbourg, Italy, Constantine, Tunisia, and Dublin, establishing a presence within both European and North African contemporary art scenes.
His acclaimed series Sultans Are No Sultans, first inaugurated in 2013 at the Leighton House Museum in London as part of the Nour Festival of Arts from the Middle East and North Africa (Rose Issa Projects), marked a defining moment in his career. In this body of work, Salem reinterprets historical rulers drawn from Tunisian, Turkish, and Ottoman heritage through irony, theatricality, and deliberate kitsch aesthetics.
His flamboyant sultans — adorned with faux fur, ostrich feathers, costume jewellery, floral embellishments, and ornate frames — appear simultaneously majestic and absurd. While painted with a certain tenderness, they are stripped of their authority. Through exaggeration and satire, Salem questions historical narratives of power and masculinity, exposing the fragility and immaturity often concealed beneath grand symbols of rule.
The series subtly critiques both past and present leadership, suggesting that the dynamics of authority, manipulation, and spectacle continue to resonate in contemporary political life. His works balance humor and sharp commentary, creating a visual language that is both seductive and unsettling.
Within the exhibition Ancrage, Mourad Salem’s practice demonstrated how tradition can be deconstructed, critiqued, and reimagined. By appropriating historical iconography and transforming it through contemporary materials and aesthetics, he anchors cultural memory while boldly reframing it for our time.
Hamadi Ben Saad
Self-taught and radically independent, Hamadi Ben Saad has been painting since 1966 and exhibiting his work since 1976. Free from academic constraints, his practice embodies a powerful artistic autonomy rooted in experimentation and material exploration.
From early on, he distinguished himself through the use of salvaged and reclaimed materials. In 1980, he notably exhibited works incorporating rusty tin cans as part of a group exhibition — an early affirmation of his commitment to transforming everyday objects into artistic language. This dialogue between found materials and painterly gesture remains central to his work.
Ben Saad’s compositions are often monumental and graphic, commanding space with bold structures and dynamic surfaces. Moving fluidly between figurative expression, abstraction, collage, and installation, he creates ceaselessly — on any support, in any format — driven by instinct and creative urgency.
His international trajectory has led him to participate in exhibitions across Germany, Lebanon, Holland, the United States, and London, reinforcing his presence beyond Tunisia and situating his work within a broader contemporary discourse.
In the exhibition Ancrage, Hamadi Ben Saad’s practice emphasized material modernity — the transformation of humble, everyday elements into powerful visual statements. His work stands as a testament to artistic freedom and the capacity of matter itself to carry meaning, memory, and reinvention.
Three Generations, One Dialogue
By bringing these artists together, Ancrage became more than a group exhibition. It became a structured dialogue across time:
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The iconographic delicacy of early modern Tunisian painting
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The intellectual expansion of post-independence art
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The conceptual and critical approaches of contemporary practice
Rather than opposing tradition and modernity, the exhibition demonstrated that they coexist. Tradition is not static; modernity is not detached. They interpenetrate.
Curatorial Position
As curator and coordinator, my intention was not to impose a rigid narrative but to create spatial and conceptual resonance. Each artwork was positioned to echo another, visually, historically, philosophically.
The exhibition design allowed viewers to move chronologically yet fluidly, experiencing continuity rather than rupture.
Ancrage as Cultural Statement
In a rapidly shifting world, Ancrage asked a fundamental question:
How do we remain rooted while moving forward?
Anchoring is not immobility. It is stability within movement.
Ancrage, Entre Traditions et Modernité affirmed that Tunisian art possesses both memory and momentum. It does not choose between heritage and innovation — it transforms both.
And perhaps that is the true definition of art.
The gallery in the historic Saf Saf district of La Marsa, Tunisia welcomed art lovers to the opening of “Anchors,” a dynamic exhibition that drew a lively crowd and captured the spirit of creative exploration.
Set within one of La Marsa’s most vibrant cultural spaces — part of a local ecosystem of galleries that support both modern and contemporary artistic dialogues — Anchors offered an engaging visual experience that reflected the rich energy of Tunisian contemporary art. Institutions in La Marsa, including well‑established galleries like Galerie El Marsa, have long played a role in nurturing artistic talent and showcasing works that bridge local heritage with global perspectives.
🎨 The exhibition’s title, Anchors, suggested grounding points of meaning — elements of visual or conceptual stability that help viewers navigate the complex relationships between identity, culture, history and artistic expression. Though detailed press coverage is not widely available online, the event’s opening was marked by enthusiastic engagement from visitors and a sense of shared appreciation for art’s role in connecting communities and sparking conversation.
🌷 To help guide visitors to the gallery, a creative touch was added to the journey: “Notre Robot de La Marsa,” a playful video route on YouTube that shows the way through La Marsa’s streets to the Saf Saf gallery, turning the trip into part of the exhibition experience. You can watch it here:
📺 YouTube — Notre Robot de La Marsa shows the way to Saf Saf: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24ZOlaRjIV0
La Marsa’s art scene sits within a broader Tunisian context that includes major contemporary art platforms such as the Jaou Tunis biennial, a celebrated event highlighting global South voices and creative innovation.
While specific details (such as participating artists and individual works) from the Anchors exhibition are not widely published, its successful opening night, combined with thoughtful touches like the “robot” navigation video — reflects how contemporary art in Tunisia continues to thrive through community engagement and imaginative presentation.