“The Aesthetics of Illusion Between Visual Perception and Psychological Impact” is the title of my graduation project at the National Institute of Fine Arts in Tetouan in 2023. Its completion spanned between 2022 and 2023.
An overview of the work presented within the project: “The aesthetics of illusion – Between visual reception and Psychological Impact” – National Institute of Fine Arts-Tetouan – 2023
This project serves as an initial approach that explores the concept of illusion from psychological, sociological, and aesthetic perspectives. It aims to create a dialogue between the notions of illusion and beauty in order to reach a visual and conceptual approach through which beauty is extracted from ugliness (illusions). The series of artworks produced within this project invites contemplation and reveals certain indicators related to illusions that move between the material and the immaterial, between the self and the other, and between consciousness and the unconscious.
Photo of three installations from the project: Left: 3 Barcodes & 6 QR Codes, Middle: Glitch, Right: Noise
The first part of this project’s works is based on the symbolism of the window grille, connecting the concept of illusion with important notions such as culture, identity, and technology. The function of illusion is closest to that of a window through which we see ourselves and the world around us. Yet this fundamentally depends on our awareness of the existence of illusions linked to our identities and on how we sense the extent of their psychological impact on us. What passes through window grilles is only a small portion, limited to what our senses perceive and the general boundaries of our perception.
3 Barcodes & 6 QR Codes W: 85,5cm x L: 56,5cm x D: 7cm Adhesive vinyl on wood, synthetic paint on metal 2023
3 Barcodes & 6 QR Codes W: 85,5cm x L: 56,5cm x D: 7cm Adhesive vinyl on wood, synthetic paint on metal 2023
Glitch W: 84cm x L: 104cm x D: 7cm Adhesive vinyl on wood, synthetic paint on metal 2023
Glitch W: 84cm x L: 104cm x D: 7cm Adhesive vinyl on wood, synthetic paint on metal 2023
Simulation #2 W: 76cm x L: 81,5cm x D: 25cm Acrylic on canvas, synthetic paint on metal and plaster, resin on plaster 2023
Simulation #2 W: 76cm x L: 81,5cm x D: 25cm Acrylic on canvas, synthetic paint on metal and plaster, resin on plaster 2023
Simulation #1 W: 54cm x L: 62cm x D: 41,5cm Acrylic on canvas, synthetic paint on metal and plaster, resin on plaster 2023
Simulation #1 W: 54cm x L: 62cm x D: 41,5cm Acrylic on canvas, synthetic paint on metal and plaster, resin on plaster 2023
Windows hold a significant place in the collective consciousness of human beings. Beyond being indispensable architectural components, they represent the windows of beautiful prisons we call rooms, houses, or homes. We may grow fond of them and not wish to leave them—just as our unconscious minds may become fond of and confined within the prisons of certain illusions. For this reason, the Moroccan window, with its twists and decorative patterns known by names such as “Sulaymaniyya” and others, becomes a cultural symbol with a unique aesthetic. It aligns with the metaphorical and conceptual framework born of the dialogue between illusion and culture. The symbolism of the window here points not only to the role of Moroccan culture in particular, but more broadly to how the concepts of culture and identity contribute to nurturing, solidifying, and widely disseminating illusions. That’s why, in this section, I chose to work with old window frames—because of the cultural and historical significance they carry. They date back to 1913 and came from my old house and other homes in the neighborhood where I grew up.
Different views of two installations from the project: Right: Simulation #2, Left: Simulation #1
As for the second part of this project, it consists of installations characterized by the merging, repetition, and inversion of various visual elements, incorporating components closely tied to human life. These elements are employed within a conceptual framework that reveals the extent to which illusions related to technology, consumer culture, identity, and more affect individuals and societies.
Photo of three works from the project: Right: Smartphone #2, Middle: Where’s my homeland ? (Among 24 Shades of Red and Green), Left: Mousetrap #1
Smartphone #2 W: 23cm x L: 31,5cm x D: 20cm Surveillance camera mounted on a Moroccan teapot “Berrad” the ensemble is painted in white synthetic paint. 2023
Smartphone #2 W: 23cm x L: 31,5cm x D: 20cm Surveillance camera mounted on a Moroccan teapot “Berrad” the ensemble is painted in white synthetic paint. 2023
Eye Test W: 50,5cm x L: 80cm x D: 15cm Adhesive vinyl on wood, paper on glass, synthetic paint on plastic and metal 2023
Eye Test W: 50,5cm x L: 80cm x D: 15cm Adhesive vinyl on wood, paper on glass, synthetic paint on plastic and metal 2023
Mousetrap #1 W: 40cm x L: 47cm x D: 2,5cm Synthetic paint on metal and wood, paper collage on cardboard. 2023
A video demonstrating the interactivity of the piece.
Mousetrap #1 W: 40cm x L: 47cm x D: 2,5cm Synthetic paint on metal and wood, paper collage on cardboard. 2023
A video demonstrating the interactivity of the piece.
May the artist live as a master, a tamer, a revealer, and a maker of illusion. And may illusions be a resisting fire that extinguishes what the passing of time cannot.