Realism, hyper-realism, surrealism: the real is always the object of the construction of the pictorial structure of the works of Abdelfettah Karmane.
“I am inspired by the ancestral heritage of Morocco for the creation of my paintings,” he said. Thus, traditional carpets, porcelain, zelliges, feminine jewels, typical fruits (prickly pears, watermelons, peaches, grenadine …) populate the still life paintings of Karmane. “Karmane’s work is hyper-sensitive to the color, texture, light, shape, density and even spiritual vibrations of the chosen subject, say art critics Terence MacCarthy and Andrew Clandermond.
And to continue: In still life with prickly pears, one has the impression that one could raise the basket of raffia by its handles of rush, touching the shiny skin of the thorny fruits, the soft texture of the carpet of silk carefully draped, or the fresh sweetness of zelliges with a complex design.
But besides transcribing into their subtlety, objects of reality, the quest for balance seems to be what motivates the work of Abdelfettah Karmane. The latter uses various pictorial techniques including oil painting, acrylic and watercolor. “The color of the watercolor does not appear in the watercolor palette. The white in the painting is that of the blank canvas, ” says the artist.
Thus the reconstruction work done by Abdelfettah Karmane requires a huge effort of concentration and precision. However, always in this quest for balance, it happens to Abdelfettah Karmane to abandon the stylistic constraints and austerity of realism to devote himself to surreal works where the freedom of creation is more fulfilled.
Moreover, whether in realistic works, surrealist or hyperrealistic, the forms of the subjects chosen by the artist (whether imaginary or real) are at the center of Abdelfettah Karmane’s pictorial work. However, the subjects of the artist’s paintings are also varied.
In addition to the still life paintings, portraits are also presented in the last artist’s exhibition in the Lawrence-Arnott art gallery in Marrakech. These portraits “distill the very essence of the characters, their suffering, their wisdom, their nobility”, explain the critics.
Regarding the artist’s landscape paintings, the latter indicate: In the Oudayas seen from Salé, Karmane’s acute sensitivity to the atmosphere, the safety of the composition, the exceptional control of the palette characterized by a tonality deaf, counterbalanced by the bright primary colors, is simply beautiful.
Born in 1969 in Sidi Slimane, Abdelfettah Karmane is a laureate of the School of Plastic Arts in Rabat. He holds his first exhibition at the age of 14 in his hometown. He has exhibited successfully in Morocco, France, Italy, Portugal and Russia.
For example, the last exhibition at the Lawrence-Arnott Art Gallery in Marrakech, showcases the works of Abdelfettah Karmane, one of the most accomplished young artists of his generation.
Gallery
Abdelfettah Karmane
Abdelfettah Karmane
Abdelfettah Karmane
Abdelfettah Karmane
Abdelfettah Karmane
Abdelfettah Karmane
Abdelfettah Karmane
Abdelfettah Karmane
Abdelfettah Karmane
Abdelfettah Karmane
Abdelfettah Karmane
Abdelfettah Karmane
Abdelfettah Karmane
Abdelfettah Karmane
Abdelfettah Karmane
Abdelfettah Karmane
Abdelfettah Karmane
Abdelfettah Karmane
Abdelfettah Karmane
Abdelfettah Karmane
Abdelfettah Karmane
Abdelfettah Karmane
Abdelfettah Karmane
Abdelfettah Karmane
Abdelfettah Karmane
Painting by Artist Abdelfettah Karmane
Painting by Artist Abdelfettah Karmane