ABDELAZIZ GORGI (1928-2008)
Tunisian painter — harmonies between figures, light, and tradition
Originally from Tunis, Abdelaziz Gorgi is recognized for his compositions with characters, figures, and wall decorations, combining the heritage of Islamic art with Western influences. His style is characterized by a meticulous stylization of details — mustaches, hands, ornaments of fabrics and walls — as well as by a harmonious geometrization of the compositions, subtly integrating the techniques learned from European painting.
A professor at the École des Beaux-Arts de Tunis from 1959 to 1983, he played a central role in the training of several generations of artists. A co-founder of the School of Tunis, he became its president in 1968, consolidating his place in the development of a modern Tunisian pictorial language, rooted in local traditions while open to innovation.
Originally from Tunis, Abdelaziz Gorgi is recognized for his compositions with characters, figures, and wall decorations, combining the heritage of Islamic art with Western influences. His style is characterized by a meticulous stylization of details — mustaches, hands, ornaments of fabrics and walls — as well as by a harmonious geometrization of the compositions, subtly integrating the techniques learned from European painting.
A professor at the École des Beaux-Arts de Tunis from 1959 to 1983, he played a central role in the training of several generations of artists. A co-founder of the School of Tunis, he became its president in 1968, consolidating his place in the development of a modern Tunisian pictorial language, rooted in local traditions while open to innovation.
Abdelaziz Gorgi exhibited as early as 1949 in group exhibitions in Tunis and internationally. He participated in major events such as the Venice Biennale (1958), the Paris Biennale (1959), and the Alexandria Biennale (1968), and also presented his works in solo exhibitions in Chicago, New York, and Tunis.
His work remains emblematic of a successful synthesis between Eastern tradition and Western modernity, offering a Tunisian artistic heritage that is both respectful of its roots and universally recognized.
His work remains emblematic of a successful synthesis between Eastern tradition and Western modernity, offering a Tunisian artistic heritage that is both respectful of its roots and universally recognized.
Exhibitions
