Nabil SAOUABI (Jendouba - Tunisia, 1972).

Lives and works in Tunis.

After studying at the higher School of Fine Arts in Tunis, Nabil Saouabi obtained his Master depegree  in 2002, specializing in printmaking, which he taught at the School of Fine Arts and his doctorate (PHD) in 2013 in science and arts techniques. A complete artist, he is at the same time designer, painter, engraver, videographer and produces video installations and documentaries. His autobiographical painting relates the relationship between the man, the painter and the world around him, especially in his workshop space, through the recurrent appearance of a character (his self-portrait) who fixes the contemplator to better take him to witness in the observation of his plastic universe. Inspired by photography and photojournalism, his painting depicts a striking world of realism that brings the viewer to witness to better understand the role of images and the artist in contemporary events. Its dramatic narration, with political, historical and artistic references, is reinforced by a controlled and balanced composition and the use of large areas of color and heavy impasto with a dark palette, gray and beige-sounding.

A productive and particularly creative artist, he takes part in numerous personal and group exhibitions, including the Dak’art and Beijing Biennials and the 5th International Biennial of Engraving in Paris. In 2014, the El Marsa gallery hosted its Sleeper (s) Awake exhibition, which revisited the power of images. His works are present in many private collections in Tunisia, Europe and the Middle East, and also appear in the collections of the Tunisian Ministry of Culture. In 2015, Saouabi participated in the group exhibition Réminiscences, at the headquarters of the Talan group in Tunis. In 2016, his works were part of the collective exhibition The new image of Tunisia at the Tunisian Embassy in London.

(Extract)  Artistes de Tunisie, Elsa Despiney – Ridha Moumni - Cérès Ed., 2019 - Kamel Lazaar Fondation