Taher JAOUI works and lives in Dubai, UAE.
Represented by Opera Gallery, Eternity Gallery (Miami), Guy Hepner (New York), Maune Contemporary (Atlanta, Santa Barbara), S Gallery (Madrid), Galerie Ovo (Taipei), Galerie Saltiel (Paris, Aix-en-Provence), Mees-Van De Wiele Galerie (Ghent), Corridor Contemporary (Philadelphia), Ez Gallery (Shanghai), Galerie Fara Fakhri (Abidjan), Jeeum Gallery (Seoul, Hong Kong) and Srisasanti Syndicate (Yogyakarta).
Statement
Creating captivating and labor-intensive work with the idea of continuing the legacy of the abstract expressionism movement from the 50s and 60s, Taher Jaoui's paintings are rich assemblages of layered forms, vibrant colors, expressive gestures, and mathematics signs and formulas. Applied on canvas through a dynamic interaction, a physical back-and-forth dialogue in which perspective and orientation continuously change until all the elements are balanced right, these opulent creations are the artist's way of expressing himself.
Through a series of spontaneous movements, directly inspired by the h canvas responds to layers of paint and gestures applied to it, Jaoui compares his work to a dance routine with a familiar partner. While impulsive and unconstrained in its core, familiarity with materials is essential for the creative process that strongly depends on the ability to respond quickly and foresee the way the elements will work together. Layering pastels, oils, and acrylics, the artist accents the richness of his work by constructing a raw texture that directly captures the physical energy put into each piece. Serving as a channel to convey his thoughts, emotions, and visions, the artistic practice is Jaoui's source of confidence and peace, while the finished work
becomes a documentation of the process of achieving those feelings.
Without any formal art education, his artistic practice is influenced by African primitive art, graffiti, glitch art, COBRA movement as well as the philosophy and attitude of post-war abstract expressionism. Varying from simple forms and patterns over-familiar shapes that are reminiscent of abstracted skulls, all the way to chalkboard-like scribble sections, the canvas surface becomes the workspace through which the artist exercises his ways of expression.
The concept of building something from a variety of singular elements is a direct result of computer science and engineering studies, parts of which are coming to life through abstract mathematics signs and formulas sometimes incorporated into Jaoui's entrancing compositions. This element, along with the spatial vision of the surface, once again makes a strong connection with early abstract expressionism concepts which considered ideas of quantum mechanics in their conceptualization.
Regularly working on a large scale, the works which are exclusively built automatically or subconsciously, are demanding careful planning and utilization of space and materials. While balancing between his thoughts and feelings while creating, Jaoui's work carries that sense of rebellious, anarchic, highly idiosyncratic and, some might say nihilistic feel to it, yet still constructing an endless base for viewer-dependent interpretation and experience.
Selected exhibitions
Solo
> Maune Contemporary, Atlanta, September 2024 > Qatar Art Center, Doha, Qatar, July 2024 > Galerie Jeeum, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, June 2024 > Galerie Ovo, Taipei, Taiwan, May 2024 > Galerie Saltiel, Paris, France, March 2024 > Srisasanti Syndicate, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, February 2024 > Mees-Van de Wiele, Ghent, Belgium, December 2023 > Ez Gallery, Shanghai, China, November 2023 > Gaia Art Space, Hong Kong, Ocotber 2023 > All About Art, Singapore, May 2023 > Contemporary by U, Taipei, Taiwan, February 2023 > freeze.art , Shanghai, China, November 2022 > Galerie Saltiel, Paris, France, October 2022 > LT Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon, September 2022 > Maune Contemporary, Atalanta, USA, August 2022 > Corridor Contemporary, Philadelphia, USA, April 2022 > Jason shin Gallery, Seoul, Korea, March 2022 > Space 776 + Uncommon Beauty Gallery, New York, USA, October 2021 > Srisasanti Syndicate, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, May 2020 > 81 Leonard Gallery + Uncommon Beauty Gallery, New York, USA, February 2020 > Galerie Kremers, Berlin, Germany, September 2019 > Graham Modern, and Contemporary Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa, May 2019 > Jinsan Gallery, Seoul, Korea, January 2019 > Ghaya Gallery, Tunis, Tunisia, January 2018
Group
Mees-Van de Wiele, Ghent, Belgium, February 2024 > S Gallery, Madrid, Spain, September 2023 > Jeeum Gallery, Seoul, Korea, September 2023 > Method of expression, Ez Gallery, Shanghai, China, June 2023 > Wood you be Happy, Firetti Contemporary, Dubai, UAE, February 2023 > Crossing, Lorin Gallery, Los Angeles, USA, January 2023 > More than Color, freeze.art, Shanghai, China, February 2022 > Doodling the space, Granada Gallery, Madrid, Spain, March 2022 > Love Always Wins, Maune Contemporary, Atalanta, USA, April 2021 > Duo Show with Mikhailo Dayak, Mandarin Maison, Kyiv, Ukraine, March 2020 > Duo Show with George Morton Clark, Opera Gallery, Hong Kong, China, August 2019 > An Atlantic Bridge BERLIN - USA, Galerie Kremers, Berlin, Germany, May 2019 > Impossible Until it is Done, Opera Gallery, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, April 2019 > Dystopia, Banzy Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon, February 2019 > Works on paper III, Galerie Kremers, Berlin, Germany, May 2019 > Oliver Cole Gallery, Miami, USA, September 2018 > Opera Gallery, Dubai, UAE, March 2018 > Aquabit Gallery, Berlin, Germany, April 2017 > CoGalleries, Berlin, Germany. February 2017 > Enter Art Foundation. Berlin, Germany, February 2017
Fair
> Art Central, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, March 2024 > LA Art Show, Los Angeles, USA, February 2024 > Art Up Lille, Lille, France, February 2024 > Context Art Fair, Miami, USA, December 2023 > Miami Art Fair, Miami, USA, December 2023 > Moderne Art Fair, Paris, France, October 2023 > Art Taipei, October 2023, Taipei, Taiwan > Miami Art Fair, Miami, USA, December 2022 > Moderne Art Fair, Paris, France, October 2022 > Art Jakarta, August 2022 > Art Central HK, May 2022 > Art Central HK, May 2021 > Art Busan 2021, May 2021 > CONTEXT Miami art Fair, USA, December 2020 > Art Jakarta, Indonesia, October 2020 > KIAF Seoul, Korea, September 2020 > Art Central Hong Kong, Hong Kong, April 2020 > CONTEXT Miami art Fair, USA, December 2019 > Budapest art Fair, Budapest, Hungary, November 2019 > Art Jakarta, Jakarta, Indonesia, August 2019 > Art Expo Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, August 2019 > Beirut Art Fair, Beirut, Lebanon, September 2019 > Busan Art Fair, Busan, South Korea, June 2019 > Architectural Digest Show, Uncommon Beauty Gallery, New York, USA, March 2019 > CONTEXT Miami art Fair, USA, December 2018 > EMERGEAST Auction IV, Dubai, UAE, November 2017
Collections
Dubai Collection https://dubaicollection.ae/en/artist/taher-jaoui
Salomon Collection https://salomonarts.com/private-collection/
Huemer Collection
Vader Collection
Krieger Collection https://www.krieger-collection.com/
Enter Art Foundation Berlin https://www.enterart.com/
Education
Paris-Sorbonne University 2007