Mohamed Hamidi began his artistic journey at the Casablanca School of Art and later explored Paris – immersing himself in its art movements and museums, enrolling at its art schools, and graduating from the École Supérieure des Beaux Arts. Harmonie (1969) is often mentioned as evidence of Hamidi’s inspiration from Moroccan rugs, due to its reddish colours, composition, the painted frame that borders the piece, and the diamond shape seen in the centre. Hamidi’s visible brushstrokes add an intentional texture to the work and convey the woolly, tactile feel of a rug. With his intricate mastery of colour, Hamidi can illuminate and shade any section he wishes to, creating a visually pleasurable collage-like composition. While circles are not typically found in traditional weaving, they may serve here as a subtle hint at the eroticism to come in his later works. Additionally, they could be interpreted as a deconstruction of the linear blending that combines the traditional jagged line seen on Moroccan weaving with the undulating forms popular amongst members of the Casablanca School movement. These undulations would later become a recurrent motif across the works of the group.
This is the first time the work of Mohamed Hamidi is presented at Biennale Arte.
—Fadia Antar
