ST4 THE PROJECT

Active since 2013, the Tunisian artist duo ST4 was born from the encounter between Mohamed Sadk Kaffel (born in 1994) and Yassin Bouzid (born in 1996) in their coastal hometown of Sfax. Coming from the graffiti culture and the ultra movements, the two artists first explored the potential of public art and in situ installation.

Their work draws its material from daily interactions and the observation of the Tunisian terrain, as well as from the singular culture of the south of the country. Their approach, which aims to think about and question their context, is mainly articulated around their sociocultural heritage. This translates into abstract forms called to blend into the environment and dialogue with its inhabitants.

Divided between Tunis and Paris, the artists have developed a studio practice that combines with their contextual work, generating an inside-out dynamic. Through a work of documentation and sampling, they explore dualities, DIY (Do It Yourself) culture, and the expressions of a popular architecture. Through sculpture, painting, and installation, Sadk and Yassin invent their own visual vocabulary, propelling these elements into a third dimension where ambiguity unfolds.

Recently settled in Paris, the two artists are now exploring new perspectives and techniques, coming in contrast with the first decade of their research. They have notably enriched their practice within institutions such as the Beaux-Arts de Paris and on the occasion of residencies, such as the Villa Belleville.

“Our vision imagines the artist as a social actor and pioneer of spatial and contextual potential whose work must stem from their environment and reflect it. Through the re-interpretation of public space as well as a constant source of means, our visual and spatial perception is reborn.
We aim to reinvent and remodel existing landscapes, thus diverting the banal and introducing the imaginary in order to anchor a local cultural heritage.”