Archéologies chimériques

Aïcha Snoussi and Kaïs Dhifi assume the role of archaeologists of vanished civilizations, blurring the boundaries between antiquity and contemporaneity.
Aïcha Snoussi uncovers archaeological traces submerged beneath the waters surrounding the island of Zembra and off the coast of Benin, revealing the remnants of a forgotten African maritime civilization—nomadic and matriarchal.

Kaïs Dhifi combines industrial aesthetics with elements drawn from history, archaeology, and fantastical realism to create compelling sculptures that challenge perception, navigating between ancestral craftsmanship and futuristic technology.
Snoussi disseminates indecipherable messages derived from ancient languages—including Akkadian, Phoenician, early Arabic, and Tamazight—enriched with calligraphic inscriptions inspired by Arabic folk songs and imagined as additions made by their descendants. Dhifi cuts abstract forms from metal plates, engraves symbols onto layered surfaces, and assembles his compositions onto structures crafted using traditional techniques.

Through their distinctive and thought-provoking practices, both artists offer enigmatic and mystical symbols drawn from their respective imagined worlds, ultimately redefining the very notion of visual storytelling in contemporary art.