continuing with our exploration of morocco, today i wanted to share some of the work of moroccan artist, andre elbaz. i was first drawn to his landscapes…they have such amazing texture and color that capture the energy and spirit of morocco. the use of cubism gives them a surreal quality but the varying sizes and colors make them appear to sparkle like a living, breathing city. the second one reminds me of looking down at urban landscapes from an airplane, seeing only clusters of light, thinking about all the tiny ant-like people that are down there going about their everyday lives.
more below…
after looking through the landscapes i discovered his collection of urnes, and i was fascinated. his website is in french and my translating skills are rusty, but i was able to make out that he started making these “ballot boxes” as he calls them, after the september 11 attacks in new york city. it was a way for him to face the harsh reality of the modern world through his work, and he began to tear apart his drawings and paintings and put the pieces in transparent containers. his reasoning was that he was taking his old works and making them into something new, giving them new breath and creating something that felt more tangible than his paintings.
check out his website here.
Incredible <3