In large-scale minimalist compositions, avenue artist Taquen covers the perimeters of homes, hospitals, and avenue boundaries with reminders of energy and mutual understanding.
Usually depicting animals in movement, kinetic portraits, and expressive palms, Taquen’s expansive works exude momentum. The significance of motion displays a central tenet of the artist’s observe, as he visits totally different components of the world to work on murals.
One in every of his current excursions was made potential by The Jaunt, a residency program that creates alternatives for artists to journey to a brand new vacation spot to spark inspiration and connection. In February, Taquen made the journey from his hometown of Madrid to Africa to take part within the Sahara Marathon.
Established in 2001 to advocate for and reveal solidarity with the Sahrawi folks, the worldwide occasion takes place in shut proximity to Tindouf, Algeria, a area that has been marked by the Western Sahara Battle and humanitarian disaster for many years.
In 1975, when Spain relinquished its colonial rule over the Western Sahara area, an influence vacuum erupted between neighboring international locations, resulting in the Madrid Accords. This settlement closely ignored the voices of Indigenous Sahrawi individuals who had been pressured into displacement, ultimately settling into refugee camps that also reside within the Algerian desert roughly fifty years later.
The long-standing battle has light out and in of headlines for many years, however the Sahara Marathon has continued to shine a lightweight on the resilience of the Sahrawi folks. “It was a project that allowed me to combine my greatest passions—art and sport—and also to contribute as much as possible to this unjust cause,” Taquen shares.
The artist’s ensuing silkscreen print demonstrates his experiences in Tindouf. That includes two gestural palms with daring line work that subtly nods to henna, Taquen references younger Sahrawi girls, who play an important function within the desert’s society. “During the marathon, for example, they were the ones who encouraged us the most,” the artist shares. “In the houses where we lived, they took care of us, their families, and so on. They are an example.”
Arabic textual content lies beneath, alluding to a phrase that resonated with Taquen alongside the way in which. “The Sahrawi people living in the refugee camps call this place ‘the desert in the desert,’ which is meant both geographically and metaphorically. I knew I wanted to reference that in my artwork,” he says.
Past the limited-edition print, Taquen additionally created a four-color risograph portrait combining line drawings and analog pictures. And earlier than leaving the refugee camps, the artist hosted two artwork workshops for kids, sharing, “at the end of the day, these are boys and girls who do not speak my language, but through drawing we were able to express ourselves. It taught me a lot about their ideas and their hopes for the future.”
The artist is presently in Sicily finishing the Graniti Murales residency and has a busy 12 months arising together with an artwork competition this summer time and a solo exhibition within the fall. Sustain along with his work on Instagram, and study extra on his web site.
