About

Born in 1930 in Mostaganem and passed away in 1991 in Algiers, he was an Algerian painter, sculptor, and printmaker, regarded as one of the founders of contemporary Algerian painting and a major figure in the “painters of the sign” movement. A self-taught artist at first, he later trained in Paris at the Academy of La Grande Chaumière in the 1950s, where he discovered lyrical abstraction and European avant-gardes. Deeply rooted in Maghreb culture, he developed a unique visual language that combined Arabic calligraphy, Berber signs, and abstract forms. After returning to Algeria following independence, he participated in the cultural construction of the country, co-founded UNAP, trained young artists, and exhibited both in Algeria and internationally. His work embodies a dialogue between tradition, modernity, and identity.