Hirafen - Collaboration Between Tunisian Artists & Artisans

I was left with some spare holiday at the end of 2023, so I decided to book an impromptu trip to Tunisia for some history, culture, and an escape from the dreary British winter weather.

I was completely enamoured with the energy in the capital, and I've been recommending it to everyone. A couple of days into my trip, I visited the magnificent Bardo ancient history museum (home to the largest ancient mosaic collection in the world) with some folks from my hostel, one of whom told me about a modern art exhibit called Hirafen, only a half-hour walk away. The ancient, and the contemporary - separated by a 30-minute stroll on a pleasant day. It was fascinating to contrast the two on the same afternoon.

Incidentally, that very juxtaposition of old and new is a prominent theme of the exhibition itself, which utilises a lot of natural or reclaimed synthetic materials, to pastiche traditional motifs and modern industrial forms. The title itself, "Hirafen", is a portmanteau of the Arabic words ħirafi ("artisan"), and fen ("artist"). As you make your way through the exhibit, you encounter a world of fusion between old & new, natural & synthetic, craft & expression; something futuristic with a strong sense of heritage. It asks "where are we now?".

It also featured some traditional pieces (wicker fish traps, wedding garb, and more) towards the end of the route through the show, but the historical piece that interested me most was an embroidered tapestry; the first crafts product a woman in Tunisia was ever paid to make. A true artefact set amongst modern art installations. Although it wasn't specifically a feminist exhibition, the expo, being about identity and cultural progression, inevitably features many female creators, and the historic marginalisation of women was a theme in a couple of pieces.

Hirafen is the 5th edition of Talan Expo, a long-running art project that moves to a new location with each new version. In this most recent venue, the installations payed homage to the building's history as an old fabric mill. The art itself features textiles prominently, and a couple of the installations show off parts of the old machinery from the factory, in varying states of decay.

I was extremely impressed throughout by how clear and present the message was. I have a passing interest in modern art, but it's certainly not my domain by any stretch - yet I still felt totally able to "keep up" with the meaning and purpose of each installation. For something that has got such little attention, this exhibit wouldn't be out of place in any major modern art gallery. It reminded me of things I've seen at The Baltic in my home city of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, one of Northern Europe's most prestigious installation spaces.

If you live in Tunisia, or plan to visit Tunis any time before 20th March, I cannot recommend Hirafen enough.

Entry is free, and it took me perhaps 2 hours to see everything. It was a fascinating insight into Tunisian cultural identity, the art was very impressive, and the hosts were extremely welcoming & informative. Special thanks to Maha & Mike for showing me round, they made the whole experience extremely memorable, talking to us about each piece and offering much-needed context; describing the history, the artists, and so on. The placards were in Arabic and French, but the staff are extremely helpful and speak great English.

My whole stay in Tunis was phenomenal; the food, music, attitudes, and atmosphere completely won my heart, and I'm already planning my next trip there. This exhibition, however, was a real highlight in an already glowing week.

Spread the word! This is your only chance to see it.

Details on the website here.