Celebrated graffiti Artist El Seed visits MCEC – 4th October 7pm

eL Seed will be coming insha-Allah to talk about the art of mixing graffiti with calligraphy, conduct a workshop with a number of young people (ages 14-20) and spray-paint a large canvas to be displayed at the mosque.
Fee will be £10 for participants, and free for watching. Email [email protected] to book a place.
eL Seed has exhibited all over the world and one of his larger pieces recently was at the Jara Mosque in Gabes, Tunisia.
Reacting to the clashes between religious sects and the art community in Tunisia, the artist embarked on a project to transform this religious landmark into a public artwork during the holy month of Ramadan. Specialising in ‘Calligraffiti’—an art form that combines graffiti with Arabic calligraphy—eL Seed’s large-scale production cites traditional principles of Arabic script with the modern sensibilities of graffiti counter-culture.
Recent tensions in Tunisia have sparked a critical debate about the limits of artistic freedoms in the birthplace of the Arab Spring as it undergoes a nascent transition to democracy. “This project is not about decorating a mosque, it is about making art a visible actor in the process of cultural and political change,” comments el Seed, who started work on the mural on July 20. “I truly believe that art can bring about fruitful debate, especially within the uncertain political climate right now in Tunisia.”
The project was approved by the Governor of Gabès and the mosque’s Imam, Shaikh Slah Nacef. The 57-meter-high mural will permanently cover the entire concrete tower face of Jara Mosque in hopes of highlighting the convergence of art and religion and raising the public’s awareness by infusing art directly into the urban landscape. Exhibiting the words, “Oh humankind, we have created you from a male and a female and made people and tribes so you may know each other,” eL Seed quotes a verse of from the Holy Qur’an which addresses the importance of mutual respect and tolerance through knowledge as an obligation.