Galerie La La Lande, Paris/Riyadh
Kaïs Dhifi and Aïcha Snoussi
Chimerical Archaeologies
Aïcha Snoussi and Kaïs Dhifi become archaeologists of vanished civilizations, blurring the lines between ancient and contemporary.
Aïcha uncovers the archaeological traces, submerged beneath the waters around Zembra Island and off the coast of Benin, of a forgotten, nomadic, and matriarchal African maritime civilization.
Kaïs combines industrial aesthetics with elements of history, archaeology, and fantastical realism to create intriguing sculptures that question perception, between ancestral know-how and futuristic technology.
Aïcha disseminates indecipherable messages derived from very ancient languages (Acadian, Phoenician, ancient forms of Arabic, and Tamazight), complemented by calligraphy of Arabic folk songs added by their descendants. Kaïs cuts abstract shapes from metal plates, then engraves symbols on overlapping layers, finally assembling his composition on structures designed with artisanal techniques.
With their unique and demanding practices, both let appear the enigmatic and mystical symbols of their respective worlds, redefining the notion of visual narrative in contemporary art.
— Aurélien Simon
