ISMAEL TAMEK

Presentation

Born in 1988, Ivorian-Togolese artist Ismael Tamek began painting in 2012. His highly immersive and experimental approach to the material gives rise to a body of canvases in which texture is an integral part of the narrative. Sanding, scraping, washing and collage follow one another and forge the support. Deliberately subjected by the artist to the vagaries of the weather, the canvas evolves with rain and light. The artist's message is shaped by the weather, as if the canvas itself had to have lived to be effective. In his studio, the canvases in preparation melt into the walls, onto the flagstones, under the footsteps of visitors. His creations are inseparable from everyday life. Just as the elements of nature shape his works, Ismael Tamek is inspired by the difficulties of those around him. Immediately absorbed, they bubble up again, not without a hint of hope materialized by the protective shadows behind the silhouettes, at once good stars and symbols of resilience. First exhibited in Togo in 2014, Ismael Tamek's work has been shown in Ghana, Morocco, Rwanda, Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire. Source : https://www.louisimoneguirandou.gallery/artists/126-ismael-tamek/overview/