“Ward & cartouches fel Djebel” is visual art exhibition, in open air, at the foot of the mountain Sammama (Sbeïtla, governorate of Kasserine)
Date: 25 & 26 November 2017 from 10 a.m to 5 p.m
Discovered, in the middle of the nature, hunted by the pasts’ spirits, Djbel Sammama, culminate as a guard of the inhabitants living at its feet.
Praying for peace and attached to their lands, despite of scourges and the danger of terrorists having elected remains in the bowels of the Djbel. Inhabitants build their hopes on the vestige of their fears. Their forebears lying on the ground, after an era of great glory, they believe in this holy land.
On this month of November 2017, the Djbel will adorn itself with wild smell flowers, masking the sharpness of cartridges.
The artistic exhibition « Ward & Cartouche 2 », installed during October 2016, in Gammarth, Alain Nadaud space, will be virtually transported in the natural and magical décor if Djbel Sammama.
By means of headsets, controllers and sound effects, the visitor is propelled into the middle of the exhibition, between artworks realized by the international artistic tandem : Wadi Mhiri, Houda Ghorbel and converted into a 3D by SAPHIR PROD ( Tunisian Video Games Studio ), directed by Philip Belhassen.
« Ward and cartouches in the Djebel » perfectly integrates in the living context of the natives, after the terrorist attacks perpetrated these last years.
The installations, although different, transmit two indissoluble messages, from one side, they expose the atrocity of terrorism and its inhumanity through the sculptures of disfigured women’s faces, denatured heads, cartridge ready to be launched and bombs on alert… on the other hand, they bring peace notes through the flowers decorating the artworks.
This trip into a parallel world, similar to the real world, continues with two installations set up at the foot of the mont, enjoying the great space. Delivered to themselves in the empty nature, the “channeled thoughts” of Houda ghorbel are set up into a circular shape representing “normal” human heads altered or animalized, surmounting black channels coming out of the same source. The artist brings the attention to the gravity of the unique thought from which suffers our society. No room for tolerance and openness. The old and unbridled political will is to daze the nation and create flexible and malleable dough easy to manipulate.
A little to the right, four globes, designed by Wadi Mhiri are scattered and infested by cartridges and bombs. Tensions multiply, on earth, and wars erupt from everywhere consuming the humans through the eras. In the middle of the center, Africa, the old continent still unable to heal wounds, raped every day and looted by men, and the abandon of its sons.
The subtle atmosphere created by the coexistence of desolation and hope is a healthy diet for the little souls of the village. These children carrying the future will declare themselves protector of their schools and their feet of the mountain using art as a message.
Thus, a creative workshop of “little soldiers” or “Aseker essghar” is organized on 18th and 19th November at “El Wesaya primary school” in Djebel Sammama.
This workshop is about converting scarecrows, originally made to scare birds away from farmland into unconquerable little soldiers. These characters will keep following the path of the school. Their double-sided outfits are a camouflage for school entrants, and a flowery fabric for school leavers. The defender and welcoming side remains in each little “askri”. This warmth that characterizes the people of the South mingled with a new feeling of mistrust and the need to defend oneself and brave the dangers. Psychology has changed and the survival instinct has taken over.
This effervescence at Mount Sammama is organized by Adnen Helali, poet and French teacher, and a fervent lover of his region. To his credit, and in collaboration with olfa Rambourg, dozens of events, works, national and international collaborations dedicated to the cultural development of Jebel Sammama, especially to children. A bright star above the mount is spreading its lights.
Text written by Neila Mhiri and translate by Syrine Siala
