What brought you to Athens?
I was working and working in Paris before the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic and I already felt a creative cycle coming to an end. Paris is an excellent choice in terms of how the institutions and individual exhibitions work, everything is properly synchronized but it does not leave space for artists, especially young ones, to leave their own creative mark. I felt that I could not paint the way I wanted, and being able to paint is a limit for me, when it cannot be done this means that I have to leave, to move to another place. I needed to find new spaces and people and in a sense I felt some kind of bond with Athens, I had visited it two years before settling for seven days and I felt that one day I would settle here.
What made you feel at home in Athens?
I think there is a sense that countries like Greece and Serbia (which is my country of origin) have a cultural bond that goes back to the Ottoman Empire and explains a sense of familiarity that we feel. At the same time, it is a Mediterranean city, a common element with my second place of origin, Morocco. Therefore, it is in a way a small place between the two countries I come from. Also, Athens is a city that is open and hospitable towards its visitors. The city welcomed me quickly and it was very easy for me to make friends, to get attached to the rhythm of Athens. That is why most of my paintings were made in the Athens environment.
What drives you to focus on the human body and nudity?
I am impressed by how the human experience can be shared through allegories and the body can become a medium, symbol or even disguise to tell a different story. There is something authentic about the human body itself, especially in an era of lies and obsession with youth and the concept of beauty. In this context, Art and painting bring us back to the diversity of bodies and the beauty that stems from this diversity. That is where my role and my interest in bringing these stories to the surface come in. As for nudity, it has been present in the History of Art since its beginnings, but it is interesting to see how it changes depending on the era, the power, religion and artistic codings. The way I use it brings the viewer face to fac
What kind of project is the Pharmacy?
The Pharmacy it will be first rented as a studio space for other artists and in the future I seek to turn it into an artist run space and residency program for other artists from all over the world to connect, create share and exhibit. Artists from all mediums and backgrounds.
