We celebrate the difference

Dear Maft readers, we're bringing you today an exclusive on this weekend's go-to art event: the most awaited exhibition this month in Tunis, of the visual artist BULIFA, who we witnessed dropping last summer, the first Tunisian 3D NFT Arabic calligraphy collection, titled "Kawakb,"meaning “planets” on the blockchain.

The self-taught Libyan visual artist, Mohammed Bulifa, aka BULIFA, came to Tunis in 2016 and worked as a graphic designer and artistic director for NGOs and brands until 2019 when he decided to focus on his art and began painting and selling.The artist has been experimenting with new artistic techniques, primarily using acrylic on canvas to combine Arabic calligraphy with modern contemporary painting styles.

His use of vibrant colors and bold lines in multiple layers of paint demonstrates the influence of years of digital work and how the two worlds of digital and physical art can be combined. His style of painting blends Arabic calligraphy with contemporary modern art, influenced by other contemporary artists.

The artist’s participation in exhibitions in North Africa and Europe was made possible by experimenting with various mediums and constantly creating fresh styles and experimenting with new techniques.BULIFA, who has over 44k followers combined onTwitter,Instagram, and Facebook, also contributes to the Tunisian fashion scene with his own merch of home goods, and partnerships with the Libyan brand Libertat, and the French menswear retailer Celio.

BULIFA has always drawn inspiration from the wavy design of traditional Arabic lettering and combined it with a contemporary, fresh perspective to convey the grace and fluidity of the Arabic language. The exhibition beautifully illuminates the visual creator's artistic creation process, which he describes as consisting of three steps: THE EXPERIMENT, THE OBSERVATION, and THE CONCLUSION.

THE EXPERIMENT

‘In 2019, after developing my skills and experiences with graphic design projects, I decided to quit my job and focus on my art. I was really lucky to be surrounded by a healthy creative environment. I was always interested in Arabic calligraphy and contemporary art therefore through experimentation, I tried to channel that into my art. I decided to launch this solo exhibition because, to me, it is an end of an era as I am moving abroad to study and work in Europe.’

THE OBSERVATION

‘After experimenting with different projects and styles, I started observing my work through different lenses and angles. I especially enjoyed using layering techniques and experimenting with colors in order to find my own style and pattern. I was hugely inspired by the digital techniques of designing through this creative process.’

THE CONCLUSION

‘It's only an end of a chapter and not just a result. The process is more important to me than the results. Through this exhibition, I wanted to showcase my artistic journey and share it with the Tunisian audience who’s been a part of it and also wanted to show appreciation for the healthy environment that helped me reach where I am.’

Maft Magazine was invited to the pre-opening of the exhibition at Modd Studio in which we were able to witness the unraveling of the paintings and the beautiful street projection.The exhibition will start from March 3rd until the 7th so make sure to check out this last masterpiece of BULIFA’s creative journey in Tunis before he heads out for his next adventure.