What began as a solitary passion for imagery has evolved into a boundless artistic adventure. I look back with profound pride on the paths I have traveled—from the sunlit memories of Biskra to sending my art to the moon—and I am even more excited for the shared creations and connections that still lie ahead.

Between Memory and Color

Born in Ferdjioua, in the Petite Kabylie region, to an Algerian father and a French mother, I have always navigated between two cultures—a reflection of a journey shaped by intense memories. My childhood unfolded in Biskra, at the gates of the Sahara, where the blazing sun seemed to steal the colors right out of the landscape. Arriving in France at the age of 20, the sight of a rainbow after a heavy rain allowed me to subconsciously rediscover the cherished hues of my past. Since that moment, I made a definitive choice for my artwork: I never use more than seven colors—those of the rainbow. I strictly exclude black and white, making an exception only when I work in black and gold.

I remember with great emotion the time spent with my sisters when my father would take us to his workplace on weekends. Tucked away near a staircase, an ultramarine blue glass sphere adorned with round facets caught the light with a mesmerizing brilliance. This specific, hypnotic blue, which I later rediscovered at the Fine Arts School of Algiers, continues to infuse my work today, oscillating between royal blue and indigo.

Driven by a passion for imagery, I began crafting my own cassette and CD covers in my teenage years, drawing deep inspiration from the graphic layouts, typography, and photography of album sleeves. My creativity has been nourished by artists like Coles Phillips, J.C. Leyendecker, Patrick Nagel, and Georges Stavrinos, as well as by defining movements such as Impressionism, Art Deco, the Bauhaus, and Memphis-Milano.

The 1990s brought profound upheaval to my life. The civil war in Algeria forced my mother, my two sisters, our dog, and me to flee the country precipitously. Because my mother was a French national, she was urged to leave, and I had to abandon my studies at the Fine Arts School of Algiers despite my excellent grades. The early days in France were harsh. Working in factories and taking on temp jobs was the only way to support my family, yet through it all, I never stopped drawing.

Following my military service, where I managed the graphic design office in Nanterre, I completed an intensive work-study program in graphic design. Within six months, I had mastered Photoshop, Illustrator, and QuarkXPress to the point of solely managing the studio where I interned. I went on to join several Parisian studios and agencies, working as an illustrator, graphic designer, typographer, and 3D artist. In 2011, I made the choice to launch my freelance career to explore personal projects and fully establish my path as an artist.

The Evolution of Style: Two Distinct Paths

In 2015, I began illustrating birds using simple geometric shapes, finishing them with a digital colored-pencil texture. The resulting success on social media quickly encouraged me to return to my absolute favorite subject: the portrait. From there, my work blossomed into two completely distinct artistic languages.

The first was a pivotal stylistic breakthrough in 2017. While designing an aperitif label for a client, I simulated a portrait in relief. That specific creation sparked something deeper within me—it made me want to pursue that feeling and extend the visual illusion into a complete sensorial experience. By meticulously manipulating light and shadow, I developed my separate "Faux-Relief" technique, a digital bas-relief aesthetic that simulates tactile depth, volume, and sculptural elegance on a flat surface.

Parallel to this, my vibrant Pop Art portraiture continued to evolve on its own path. On May 1, 2021, while reworking one of my faces, I struck a new, perfect balance. By adding rich depth and texture specifically to the skin, I brought out a striking contrast and harmony against the sleek, geometric, and sharp shapes of the rest of the composition. The first portrait born from this refined Pop Art approach was named Simon.

This craving for a deeper sensorial dimension naturally drove my next steps. Pushing this pursuit even further, in 2022, I expanded my artistic universe by embracing physical acrylic painting on canvas. Today, I have completed 23 canvases, each bearing the indelible imprint of my dual heritage, my personal trials, and my relentless pursuit of color.

To the Moon and the Streets

My dedication to pushing the boundaries of both color and form recently culminated in an astronomical milestone. I was incredibly honored to be chosen as one of only 222 artists worldwide to have my work permanently archived in the first museum on the moon, Lunaprise. For this lunar time capsule, I proudly sent pieces that represent the core pillars of my identity: my vibrant Pop Art and my distinct Faux-Relief works.

Yet, even as my art reaches the moon, it remains deeply rooted in human connection here on Earth through my "50/50 Art Drop" project. The concept is a shared adventure: I hide the left half of a new artwork, obscured by a number, somewhere in the city. The person who discovers it contacts me, and we meet to complete the piece together. I sign the artwork, and the finder leaves with the finished original. What began as a weekly Saturday ritual in the streets of Libourne is now expanding, bringing this intimate, shared experience of creation to different cities across the globe.

Contact for more info.