“The Forgotten Branches” presents an ensemble of works standing like a tree of memory. Each one embodies a branch of the artist’s thoughts. Thus, the visitors are immersed in the reminiscence of Mahfoudi’s mind, witnessing his souvenirs within this forest that one calls memory.

While looking through his window, Mahfoudi observes the world and lets himself dream. The tree in front of him becomes an object of fantasy: a portal to multiple horizons and temporalities, where he imagines beings in suspension. At the top of the branches, his characters overlook the world and are carried away by their thoughts. If children climb trees without fear of falling, Mahfoudi taints his work with this same freedom. The silhouettes rise, looking for an escape.

The branches extend towards the heavens while the roots penetrate the depths of the earth. The figures embrace the dream while reconnecting with their past and origins. It is how Omar Mahfoudi’s nostalgic fantasy arises. This dreamlike approach explores the construction of identity as a synthesis of traditions and personal aspirations – and allows his sensitivity to flourish. Carried by his memories, Omar Mahfoudi paints liquid landscapes, crossed by solitary characters plunged into a meditative state. They emerge, like ghosts, from the depths of his memory. The swimmer, a recurring figure of his iconography, has left the water of the Strait, driven by the desire to explore new elements.

On display until January 14, 2023, at AFIKARIS.

Source: AFIKARIS.