LA VIE RÊVÉE D’HAJERI. PORTRAIT D’AHMED HAJERI, DEVENU PEINTRE PARISIEN

Portrait d’Ahmed Hajeri, devenu peintre parisien

Abstract

Abstract : Ahmed Hajeri is a French artist of Tunisian origin who lives and works in Paris. Born in the village of Tazarka, in the Cap Bon region, in 1948, he grew up in a very modest rural family. Orphaned at a young age, he was initially supposed to pursue a career as an electrician, when, at twenty, he decided to leave for France. Upon his arrival in Paris, he worked as an electrical wirer in a factory before applying for a draftsman position with a cultured architect who was close to Jean Dubuffet. This architect, Roland Morand, recognized Hajeri's artistic potential, introduced him to art, and paved the way for his career as a painter. Hajeri fully embraced life as an artist after his first exhibition at Galerie Messine in 1978. He achieved success early on and gained recognition from both the public and Tunisian institutions during his first exhibition at Galerie Médina in Tunis in 1985. He later participated in several international exhibitions. His work is held in French public collections (FNAC), the Institut du monde arabe in Paris, Tunisian national collections (Ministry of Cultural Affairs) and in numerous private collections. With no formal academic training, the artist has developed a body of work that transcends trends and fashions, existing on the border between the real and the imaginary. Floating figures, an anthropomorphic bestiary, and vestiges of Carthaginian civilization populate his compositions. He draws inspiration from childhood memories and dreamlike states, creating paintings, drawings and poems infused with imagination and mystery. Based on interviews and unpublished archives, this portrait traces the artist's journey between Tunis and Paris, exploring the themes and influences that have shaped his work and its critical reception.