Born in 1965 in Tunis, she studied in Paris at the École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture and at the École des Beaux-arts. She then stayed in France where she studied urban design and also furniture design, while taking part in the production of set decorations for movies. Thus, she got into the restoration of public spaces like at Château Chinon in France, where she also participated in the renovation of the city center.
Feryel Lakhdar has been exhibiting extensively since her first solo show in 1986 at the Museum of Sidi Bou Saïd, Tunisia. Her work has been showcased in various group and solo exhibitions worldwide such as in Tunisia, France, Italy, Portugal, Lebanon and the UAE. Meanwhile, she participated in the World Exhibition – Expo’92 Sevilla in Spain and Hanover 2000 in Germany. In addition, her works have been showcased in solo shows in galleries worldwide such as Galerie El Hawajez in Cairo, Egypt, in 1998 as well as Esthète in Montreal, Canada, in 2005 and Galerie M in Paris, France, in 2004 and 2006. Feryel has been cited in many publications including the catalogue of the World Exhibition – Expo’92 Sevilla in Spain and one of the most established art books on Modern and Contemporary Art in Tunisia: “L’Aventure de l’Art Moderne en Tunisie”, Simpact. In addition, her works can be found in various public and corporate collections including the Ministry of Culture in Tunisia. She works and lives in Tunis.
Her art can be associated with neo-figurative painting as it is based on the representation of contemporary women in society, specifically Tunisian women. In her paintings as well as her sculptures, she represents the pale, voluptuous women with generous forms symbolizing the strength and empowerment of women in society. She often portrays family scenes or social gatherings taken from a typical Tunisian milieu. However, her approach derives from a fundamental abstract work which in the choice of colors, shapes is based on intuitive aesthetic thinking. Like her expansive sculptural women, she’s distilling the physicality and woman character in her contextual portraits. In her art, she strives to capture the essential part of her characters which is often an outfit or accessories. As she focuses on the critical aspect in her portrayals, the decor is either plain or nonexistent. Amplified by her reminiscent Tunisian upbringing memories and (fairy) tales, her pictorial language tends to formulate the question of feminity, while overstating the lightness of being and sense of freedom.
Sans titre, 2011, Acrylic on canvas, 180x130cm
Rue Metaphysique, 2011, Acrylic and oil on canvas, 200x180cm
Sans titre, 2013, Mixed media on canvas, 150x130cm
Sans titre, 2014, Mixed media on canvas, 76x50cm
Sans titre IX, 2014, Mixed media on paper, 76.5 x 57.5 cm
Untitled VI, 2014, Mixed media on paper, 76.5 x57.5 cm
Maternité, 2014, Resin and gold patina, 80x50x34cm, Edition of 6
Le Câlin, 2014, Fibreglass, H. 154x100x66cm, Edition of 4
Femme assise sur un banc, 2014, Fibreglass, H. 120x60 cm, Edition of 4
La Poussette, 2014, Fibreglass, H. 84x66 cm, Edition of 6
