AL ARABIYA NEWS
By AL ARABIYA
Born in the Moroccan town of Tetouan in 1954, Abdul Kareem al-Wazani managed to create a magical geography in contemporary fine arts in Morocco, which is manifested in a peculiar childish spirit that haunts his sculptures and paintings.
A student of fine arts in Tetouan and Paris, he is the manufacturer of unmatched futuristic toys that have no equivalent except in the heads of happy children who play with pure delight.
If you happen to set foot in a place which is swarmed with images and the essence of childhood in every corner, you may realize that Abdul Kareem al-Wazani is around or at least has been to the place.
“Sometimes I take up the role of the hero,” he said.
Al-Wazani refused to leave Tetouan, or the White Dove as the Moroccans call it, as he believes the city had a great influence in defining his character.
“I believe strongly that I became an artist by chance,” he said.
After his divorce, the artist became engrossed in his artistic fantasy world inhabited by fish, birds, trees, flying cows, and alarm clocks.
When asked about his definition of art, al-Wazani said “it is a very simple process, half of it is based on honesty, and the other half is just technique.”
Yet when his artistic interpretation, which some critics deem it as mere absurdity, stirs a row, he feels rejoiced. “When the critics have unanimity of opinion, it only suggests that the artwork is flawed.”
The failure to find any discrepancy between al-Wazani’s word and action results in bowing in admiration of his creativity. One walks out in peace after seeing him absorbed in his artistic space full of flying fishes and trains and trees.
