Selma Feriani
Selma Feriani was in London when the revolution in Tunisia erupted. “I was watching what was happening, and seeing images and videos of artists using the public space, which weren’t accessible before the revolution. And somehow, in what felt like a day, people were tagging walls, there were performances on the street. We had started witnessing public art in a very organic way, and I was very attracted by that. I thought to myself, ‘this is the flag of freedom. It’s time for contemporary artists to shine’.”
It took some time, but in 2017 Feriani returned to Tunis and opened her eponymous gallery in Sidi Bou Saïd: a former convent by the sea in the north of the city, which she refurbished while keeping elements of its traditional architecture intact. Spatially, it posed challenges for those used to working in a more traditional “white cube” , but Feriani deployed this to her advantage and worked with artists to create site-specific works. “After ten years, my artists had tried all possible options with the space, and at some point I felt it was becoming small and limiting.”
Feriani then commissioned Tunisian architect Chacha Atallah to design a new space in the industrial area of the city, which she created with the help of local artisans using traditional techniques. The well-insulated building has minimal openings, and is clad in a vernacular-style plaster finish – an eco-friendly cement-based render that has replaced traditional lime, a purposeful design choice aimed at responding to the drought-prone climate.
“It was the first time for both of us building a gallery from scratch, but I really wanted to work with Tunisians and local know-how,” Feriani says. “For me, it was very important to do this here, because I really wanted to give my country the best contemporary space it could have, and to show that it’s possible to create great things here. I wanted to cement the belief that a project can be 100 per cent Tunisian.”
Access was another important factor for Feriani, who has ensured that people can visit the gallery and use its resources, such as a bookshop and workspaces, for free. “The government is never involved in any cultural activities or in developing the art scene, so you learn to do it yourself, and that’s a good thing,” she asserts. “This is why I love the energy of our youth. They are fighters.” While the feeling of struggle is present, Feriani explains that it’s also an opportunity to shine while creating an interesting community on your own terms. “A gallery is a space with a voice. It’s what will remain in history, because artists are also writers of history and through their art they are telling our contemporary story.” @selmaferianigallery