ART BLOG Details

French solo artist uses emotions and symbols in his work

29-DECEMBER-2023

Photo credit: Ahmed Bouzeraa

Join us on an immersive expedition into the art work of Ahmed Bouzeraa, also know as Follow Med.
The French national will be exhibiting at the upcoming edition of World Art Dubai.

Ahead of the fair’s 10th edition, the solo artist shares his divine inspiration and prepares audiences for an exclusive look at “the birth of a new artistic style.”

World Art Dubai (WAD): Tell us about your artistic journey. How did you discover your passion for art, and what led you to pursue it as a career?

Ahmed Bouzeraa (AB): I'm self-taught; I learned through hardship and solitude, a solitude that allowed me to share a deep intimacy with Allah. It was while writing on the sand that this passion was born, the waves inviting me to start again and again, moments of exchange that are both ephemeral and fascinating - marveling at divine creation.

WAD: What inspires you the most as an artist? Are there specific themes, emotions, or concepts that you find yourself drawn to?

AB: I’m inspired by the human emotion that vibrates at the divine frequency and drawn to the world of creation, our essence that makes us human, caring and compassionate, the sciences and the world of emotions.

WAD: Could you describe your artistic style in three words? How would you define the unique characteristics that set your work apart and what does it represent?

AB: Three words: divine essence, emotions and symbols. Unique characteristics: emotional, profound and vibratory. My work represents: The deep and sublime subtleties of the celestial universe; the very essence of life.

WAD: What role do you believe art plays in society? How do you envision your art contributing to or impacting the world around you?

AB: Art is an extension of our soul that expresses itself freely. Art is our way of expressing our dreams lived in another reality. Art is a mirror through which our souls can travel.

Photo credit: Ahmed Bouzeraa

AB: Highlighting the universal dimension conveyed by World Art Dubai, the world-exclusive birth of a new artistic style, our modest contribution to the development of artistic and economic projects in the United Arab Emirates, and the birth of humanitarian projects in the world, focused on the development of individuals and societies.

WAD: Tell us about your favourite pieces of artwork.

AB: The Magnificent The Incommensurable العظيم; Essentia حرف الأَلِف ; Immersive Singularity حرف العَين ; The Awakening حرف الظاء and Transcendence حرف الميم

First of all, the five works are linked to each other, work one being the mother work; it represents A Sublime Divine Name composed of six letters. The other four works each represent one of the six letters.

Why this choice? Quite simply because I have a very special bond with the work of the Divine Name, The Magnificent The Incommensurable. In fact, it represents my deepest nature.

It is the fruit of what is called in Arab-Muslim culture الِذكر- تَسْبِيح - of a constant conscious and unconscious Dikr-Tasbih, which is rooted deep within me. In the Western world, we might compare this to a mantra we repeat to cultivate our mindset.

In our case, it's different: Dikr-Tasbih enables us to cultivate our connection to the Divine.