MAHMOUD SEHILI (1931-2015)
Modern Tunisian painter — between Mediterranean light and creative freedom
A painter and professor, a major figure of the Tunisian art scene, Mahmoud Sehili left his mark on the cultural landscape with a body of work rooted in the light and colors of the Mediterranean basin. Born in Tunis, he trained at the Institut des Beaux-Arts de Tunis before joining the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he perfected his technique and refined his artistic eye.
Upon returning to Tunisia, he taught for more than twenty years at the Institut des Beaux-Arts de Tunis, training several generations of creators. His commitment to the promotion of modern art led him, in 1975, to co-found the Irtissem gallery, a meeting and exchange space for Tunisian and foreign artists. Refusing to lock himself into a movement or a school, he developed a personal, free, and expressive style, where light and warm tones dominate.
A painter and professor, a major figure of the Tunisian art scene, Mahmoud Sehili left his mark on the cultural landscape with a body of work rooted in the light and colors of the Mediterranean basin. Born in Tunis, he trained at the Institut des Beaux-Arts de Tunis before joining the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he perfected his technique and refined his artistic eye.
Upon returning to Tunisia, he taught for more than twenty years at the Institut des Beaux-Arts de Tunis, training several generations of creators. His commitment to the promotion of modern art led him, in 1975, to co-found the Irtissem gallery, a meeting and exchange space for Tunisian and foreign artists. Refusing to lock himself into a movement or a school, he developed a personal, free, and expressive style, where light and warm tones dominate.
A tireless traveler, he crisscrossed the Maghreb, Africa, and Europe, bringing back visual impressions from each destination which he transposed into harmonies of ochre, brown, and Mediterranean blue. The winner of several distinctions in Tunisia and internationally — notably in Chicago, Stockholm, and Milan —, he exhibited regularly in Tunis and abroad, affirming his place in the global artistic dialogue.
Until the end of his life, Mahmoud Sehili remained faithful to a warm painting, imbued with humanity and openness, where each canvas reflects both his Tunisian roots and his universal gaze.
Until the end of his life, Mahmoud Sehili remained faithful to a warm painting, imbued with humanity and openness, where each canvas reflects both his Tunisian roots and his universal gaze.
Exhibitions
