Born in 1979 in Tunisia, visual artist Abdesslem Ayed takes embroidery as a form of expression. Ayed's artistic process always begins with an idea of layout, a general intuition that is still vague and not clearly defined. From this initial inspiration, he draws from his personal memory, seeking to revive memories of places, people, or situations. Mental images emerge, at times fleeting, at times persistent. To nourish this research, he also relies on photographs and images found in magazines or reproductions of historical and heritage artifacts. These elements, both personal and cultural, serve as materials for him to build a new scene, like a puzzle that he reconstructs at each stage.

His work often proceeds by trial and error. He tries to build bridges between objects and images, and create links between scattered fragments. This process is essential to his approach. It's about finding new combinations, sometimes unconscious, but always meaningful. The search for this harmony, or tension, between visual elements is at the heart of his practice. Once he has selected the images he will be working with, he creates patterns on tracing paper or silk paper (poncifs) using a pricking tool, a medieval technique akin to screen printing. He then transfers these tracings onto the fabric-medium, using water and a binder (Alcasit) to fix the contours. After drying, he traces the shapes with a weaving thread and fills them in with threads of wool, string, or cotton, until he has finished each pattern.

His approach is based on a desire to reassemble, to recreate a link between the mundane and heritage. Each work becomes a meeting place between past and present, between the personal and the collective. Through this work, Ayed explores the power of memory and imagination, and how these elements can be recomposed to tell a new story.

Ayed graduated from the Higher Institute of Fine Arts of Tunis and holds a master's degree in plastic arts specializing in sculpture. Currently, he works as a restorer of ancient sculptures at the National Bardo Museum. Since 2008, the artist has regularly participated in group exhibitions in Tunisia and abroad. He was awarded an award in 2009-2010 for his work presented as part of Spring Arts. Ayed also participated in the 2018 dak'art biennial (the red hour) and the 2022 Investec Cape Town fair. He currently lives and works between Gabes and Tunis.

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

2024
'Universalism', Yosr Ben Ammar Gallery, Tunis, Tunisia
'Le jardin des plantes', Musk and amber Gallery, Tunis, Tunisia
'La Mémoire: Un Continent', Musée Safia Farhat, Centre des Arts Vivants, Radès, Tunisia

2023
‘ARDOISE- لوحة à’, in collaboration with La Boite Art Contemporain, L’Agora Djerba, Djerba, Tunisia
Also Known As Africa (AKAA) Art Fair, Yosr Ben Ammar Gallery, Paris, France
‘L’extase d’être vivant’, Yosr Ben Ammar Gallery, Tunis, Tunisia
‘A Crack in the Wall’, curated by Anna Marckwald, Fiminco Foundation, Paris, France
‘Odyssées Urbaines’, La Chaufferie, Komunuma, Paris, France
'One piece', Galerie Valerie Delaunay, Paris, France
'The Event of a Thread', Central Tunis et le Goethe-Institute, Tunis, Tunisia

2022
'Imbrication', Galerie Yosr Ben Ammar, Gammarth, Tunisia
‘Henna’ Le Violon Bleu Gallery, Carthage, Tunisia
Investec Cape Town Art Fair, galerie A. Gorgi, Cape Town, South Africa

2019
'Qu’est-ce qu’une boîte?', Galerie El Marsa, La Marsa, Tunisia

2018
Collective Exhibition, Gorgi Gallery, Carthage, Tunisia

2017
Collective Exhibition, La Marsa Gallery, Carthage, Tunisia

2016
Collective Exhibition, Erquy, Brittany, France

2016-2022
‘Post-prod’, ‘Histoire(s)’, ‘Vivre et créer dans l'incertitude’, ‘Paysages’, ‘Peuple, es-tu là ?’, Musée Safia Farhat, Rades, Tunisia

2016 / 2015 / 2014
Participation in various collective exhibitions – Elbirou Art Gallery / Tunisian National Library / Teatro, El-Mechtel

RESIDENCIES
Résidence d’artiste à la Fondation Fiminco, Paris, France