Mohamed Benhadj. Performer, designer, and international curator: "My goal is to create a new pole of contemporary art in North Africa."

Algerian artist Mohamed Benhadj lives and works in Barcelona, Spain. Through this interview, he looks back on his artistic beginnings and reveals his philosophy's main lines. It lets guess an intense reflection, an overflowing ambition, and projects full the head.

Interviewed by NACIMA CHABANI for EL WATAN Algeria National Newspaper. 29.01.2020

What brought you to the profession of designer, performer, and curator of international exhibitions?

The need to express myself, to articulate more than just words. At a very young age, 17-18 years old, I already knew that I was heading in the wrong direction, a direction imposed by traditions, religion, and society. Everything was not right, neither my studies at the University of TC of technology in Algeria - imposed by my father at the time-, nor the circle of friends that I did not even have, nor the opportunities that did never showed up.

One freezing morning, with a friend from high school, Meriem B., in the electronic pavilion, at 7:50 a.m., before attending the last tutorials, before the first semester's exams. I asked her what we would become after graduation? She answered me with a soft voice and an unconscious manner that we will be electronics or computer science, maybe even mechanical or industrial chemistry engineers. Sitting together on a metal staircase shaped like DNA, I told her that being an engineer did not match the vision of the person I would like to become, and from that moment, I was not going to come back to university; that I will seek my way elsewhere. Meriem was convinced that, unfortunately, there was no other choice for us.

So, it was my last day as a student...

That day, I knew that my life had just started, that I was going to have to face difficult times to find my way. Without telling my family that I left college in the 2nd Grade, I would wake up early every morning to walk out of the house, pretending to go to college, but instead going to walk by many construction material stores in the industrial part of the city to sell stickers that they used to use as price tags for their products. I used to earn 8 cents on each sale and save it to pay for graphic design training, which at the time had a cost of around 2000 dollars. I was cristal clear that graphic design and artistic studies were what I needed in my life. Before starting with graphic design, I took part in a drawing and graphics competition. Without any knowledge or skill in design, I knew I was not going to win, but I found that I was a visionary artist, I was far above what I had seen as works presented by artists who were already well known in the country and also by students in 5th grade of fine arts national institution. I immediately understood that I had made the right choice to go into graphic design in a small school far away from the institutional environment.

This experience made me understood that I had everything within me, that I had to uncover my personality on my own. A lot of events happened in this period of my life, especially when I left my parents' house to make my dreams come true, to face the limits of our society that does not even allow you to leave by yourself before you get married, to face everything that is taboo voluntarily starting by being an artist, a performer, and a spirit in a human body. I needed to create a language that could attract new conversations, other ways of perceiving life other than those already established by the Algerian society. I was quickly invited to exhibit in Amsterdam and Barcelona, after my first exhibition, in Algiers, in May 2010. So I went abroad for the first time at the age of 24. Right after that, I invited artists to join me in this dialogue and participate in an exhibition with me in Algiers.

A mix of arts, friendship, and my vision of a better world, I continued to uncover and express myself without limit and especially without letting other people's perception of me define who I was. Even though most of the artists, moreover very well known on the Algerian art scene today, laughed and made fun of me and my performances whenever they had the opportunity to do so. But, my artistic vision was so crystal clear for me to the point that it was not easy to destroy it by simple words, nor by mediocrity, since I had previously experienced even harsher rejections.

I continued on this approach, inviting anyone creative and not creative to join me in this movement, which has become limitless and which artists worldwide wish to join. This adventure is known today as Al-Tiba9. My experience as a curator of international exhibitions is only a continuation of my experiences and my vision of the future. My determination has made my artistic identity noticed on the international scene. Today, I work with several artists, galleries, institutions, and brands as an art advisor and as a curator of Al-Tiba9 editions and its gallery.

This December, with more than one string to your bow, you launched the Al-Tiba9 contemporary art gallery in a digital version. Could you tell us about it?

Yes, I have just launched the Al-Tiba9 gallery inaugurated with an intriguing solo exhibition by the great Ukrainian artist, Stepan Ryabchenko, entitled "Virtual landscapes." It is open to the public until January 31st, 2021. You can see more details at www.altiba9.gallery. The gallery takes a new approach to contemporary art in a digital space; based on the ideology of the Al-Tiba9 platform, the gallery focuses on emerging international artists. It aims to showcase the vision of the future executed by outstanding artists through visual arts, digital and experimental art, virtual art, experimental music, and interactive architecture. Al-Tiba9 Gallery manages several programs to promote international artists and invites art professionals through online exhibitions, collectors' publications, art fairs, digital events via social networks, and many more.

Virtual Landscapes exhibition at Al-Tiba9 Gallery by the artist Stepan Ryabchenko

What part of your job do you like the most and why?

What I love most about being a curator is this feeling of going to bed every night, having accomplished my mission on earth that day. The mission of inspiring artists, helping them be confident about what they do, and motivating them to create art and achieve their goals. I also like the feeling that I share more than I take; I motivate more than I destroy. Whatever they are, artists or art lovers, visitors of my past exhibitions, or my performances and my fashion shows, in a way, I am part of their memory, their moments of joy and inspiration. This already has an impact on their way of seeing and understanding life. So is my mission as an artist.

Of course, meeting artists is always a moment that I love so much. Each artist is a world in its own right. I am discovering and learning at every moment. I am thirsty for knowledge, and I love to understand things, create, collaborate, share, and dream. I am also humbly happy that being an art curator and an artist is my daily life. I rarely say that I am working or that I have finished working; art is a mechanism that plagues my brain. I cannot let go of art. I am glad I was able to find this path to become the person I am today.

What are your other current projects that are important to you?

As you know, I have just launched my gallery, and it is very important to me to see this project position itself as it deserves. I am also very motivated to give my artists one of the most remarkable experiences in the art scene. To present to my collectors a selection of unique and exceptional artworks with a touch of a unique style of Al-Tiba9 and help them complete their collections. I am also excited for the future of Al-Tiba9 magazine, which has become, after a year of its publication, a recommendation for doctoral studies in Design at the Tama Art University of Tokyo in Japan and a suggestion by SCAD l American University of the creative careers. This magazine quickly became the art club for artists. I had the opportunity to work personally with outstanding artists that I will present in ARCOlisboa, the International Contemporary Art Fair in Lisbon in May 2021, at ArtsLibris Barcelona, the International fair of Artists' Books and PhotoBooks in June 2021, and at ARCOmadrid, the Madrid International Contemporary Art Fair in July 2021.

Biography

Mohamed Benhadj, one of the influential art curators in Algeria, is the icon of performance art known for his audacious and avant-garde style. Being the booster of the International Cultural Exchange in contemporary art in Algeria, he strengthened the possibilities of change and growth for Algerian and international artists by exchanging and promoting art on a broader level.

Driven by his vision of a common global platform to provide growth opportunities to emerging artists in contemporary art, Benhadj established Al-Tiba9 in 2013. His focus has been on the international exhibition of modern art, performance, and fashion design, promoting the exchange between art institutions and artists gathering in an Arab social-cultural environment.

In 2014, Mohamed extended his philosophy to Barcelona, Spain, where he gave his art exhibitions in 2017 a new touch by merging performance and fashion design as an alternative platform for independent designers to freely express themselves and introduce them to the art world.

Mohamed Benhadj has been carrying on his journey for over ten years now where he has collaborated with the Ministry of Culture, Museums, Art Institutions, Embassies, and Art Centers, became the most active curator from Algeria, a cultural partner, and Ambassador of the Arte Laguna Prize, a famous art competition in Arsenale of Venice, Italy.

His goal is to create a new pole of contemporary art in North Africa, offering the world a unique experience of creativity, possibility, and growth like no other around the globe.