Béchir Boussandel is a Tunisian-French painter who lives and works between Lille and Bizerte. His recent residency at GALERIE FARAH FAKHRI resulted in a new body of work based on experimentation and subversion. Boussandel’s interest in creating a dialogue between local environmental conditions and creative processes has invariably challenged generic pictorial protocols inherent to traditional visual language.
Painting horizontally, Boussandel works with water on canvas to allow climactic variables such as heat, humidity, wind and dust to directly influence the material. The resulting work becomes the product of an exchange between gesture, environment, control, and chance.
For his residency, Boussandel began by observing and isolating subjects that drew his attention, particularly those that depicted unexpected expressions of tension, density, and transparency. The subjects were then translated into bas reliefs; creating an interplay between different planes.
These transitions opened new spatial dimensions in his research, in which he created three-dimentional forms that encompass both painting and sculpture. Figurative elements were also incorporated, inspired by Boussandel’s observations of life in Abidjan.
These inscriptions, embedded into the material, anchor the works into a personal narrative of his experience as a visitor. Through his evolving practice, Boussandel continues to question how environments, objects, and gestures intersect to create a sense of belonging.