Swiss visual artist Severin Guelpa was invited by the Tunisian cultural platform Elbirou to develop and present his project Les Colonnes de Boujaafar in “Utopies Visuelles”, a contemporary art event that brings together international and Tunisian artists to showcase their work in public spaces in Sousse.
Les Colonnes de Boujaafar is an installation of several columns, ranging from 100 to 300 centimetres in height, made of locally sourced and recycled materials, presented on the esplanade of Boujaafar beach in Sousse. The columns serve as a powerful symbol of the city’s history, resources, and future. Guelpa, along with local artists and experts addressed questions of identity, ecology, sustainability, and the relationship between the history and the future.
Les Colonnes de Boujaafar was developed through a series of four workshops with local artists, architects and urbanists. The first workshop, titled “Collective Intelligence,” highlighted the potential for collaboration between artists and civil society to address opportunities in unutilized spaces in Sousse.
The second workshop “Raw Materials” focused on identifying available raw materials and regions in the area with ecological or construction-related issues. In addition to this, collaborating with architects Adel Hidar and Hiba Ladhar was important for studying the material and developing the technical construction of the work. Followed by the “Investing in urban space ” workshop which marked the transition to the construction phase of the columns which included around 30 local artists and experts.
Les Colonnes de Boujaafar is now a permanent installation that has sparked positive interactions and generated enthusiasm for the topics raised by the project.
In the frame of “Dreaming Big” event, the final workshop took place at Hôtel Nour Justinia in Sousse where discussions continued between the local artists and the project team and resulted with works that were presented in a group exhibition.
“The installation of the work in the public space was a key moment,” shared Karim Al Saghier, the founder and director of ELbirou. “It sparked a spontaneous and positive interaction with the residents, who showed great interest and enthusiasm for the project.”
Guelpa added, “This work has a special character, as it is one of the first perennial sculptures to be installed in the public space. It intends to embody a collaboration between an artist and a close-knit local community, involving artisanal skills and the energy of many people and young artists.”
Les Colonnes de Boujaafar was officially inaugurated in May 2024 and was featured in a collective exhibition. This project serves as a testament to the power of art to foster community engagement, promote sustainability, and celebrate local culture, as shared by Guelpa.
Bios:
Séverin Guelpa is an artist and curator. He lives and works primarily between Geneva, the Swiss Alps, and the American deserts.
Drawing inspiration from the forms of collective intelligence and ecology found in remote and arid regions of the globe, Séverin Guelpa’s work addresses questions of identity, culture, and emancipation. At the core of his artistic practice is the MATZA manifesto, which he founded in 2014, driven by the desire to explore our capacity to build community and imagine new relationships with nature and its resources, both in his personal work and as a curator. His architectures, as well as his sculptures, paintings, and videos, take shape through contact with raw materials, stones, construction elements, or recycled materials that he extracts, assembles, places under tension or arranges in fragile balances. He is inspired by, and often works from, threatened territories, particularly in extreme regions such as mountains or deserts, seeking in the uniqueness of these places and the knowledge of the people who live there the driving forces behind his work.
Elbirou Inaugurated in December 2015, Elbirou Art Gallery is
an independent cultural platform dedicated to presenting
contemporary art. It is also a place
for experimentation and synergy between various artistic
artistic events.
Since its opening, Elbirou has organised more than 80
exhibitions. Elbirou Art Gallery is
a leader in contemporary art in Sousse and is
considered by art professionals to be one of the
cultural and artistic platforms
