Local Fez sculptor Medhi Benkirane has an exhibition opening tonight at the gallery at Jardin des Biehn. Titled Un Garçon de la Médina, it contains 15 pots in his distinctive naive, colourful style
Using a mix of cement, clay and paint, Medhi, says he makes "the designs from my mind....I can see a face in the pot (before I begin) and I simply put it on there."
Living in the Cherabyline quarter with his mother and four siblings, Medhi, aged 29, has made objects for his house since he was young. He has never received any training, and always makes his works entirely by hand.
More than a year ago the director of the French Institute, Philippe Laleu, was invited for a meal at Medhi's home and spotted one of his pieces. Philippe encouraged him to make more, bought him materials and arranged for Medhi's first exhibition at the French Institute.
If he looks familiar, you are right. Medhi has also been a model at the past two Fez Fashion Day events at Jardin des Biehn.
"Each piece I give something of myself," says Medhi. "I like to make beautiful things." He would like to do more works by commission. The pieces in his latest exhibition are priced from 300 dh.
When: Saturday October 12 at 18.00 until Sunday November 10
Where: Gallery Jardin des Biehn
Info: 06 64 64 76 79 or contact@jardindesbiehn
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2 comments:
I find the whole presentation of this exhibition really distasteful.
The patronising tone of it "the boy from the medina", "naif joyeaux", "terrible brut" just smacks of everything that is awful about colonialism. It's like "oh, look at this boy we've scooped up from the streets, even the uneducated can be artistic, lets elevate him into our world"... makes me and many people who have discussed this with really uncomfortable.
And I am shocked that Michel Biehn - who until now I respected for his good taste and curatorial skill- would spout this kind of rubbish.
That's before we even get onto the subject of the 'art'...
Tanks foor you
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