Abdelaziz Haounati and the Snake Charmer
Born in a small village in southern Morocco, the sixth in a family of ten, Abdelaziz left home at just 15, to pursue his passion for art. Now living in the port city of Essaouira, Abdelaziz has developed a distinctive style that draws on his experiences in life and blends Cubism with a vibrant palette of oil paints.
Using acrylic on canvas, Abdelaziz paints humorous and whimsical portraits of Moroccan characters. His subjects drink tea, smoke cigarettes and play music to charm snakes. Vibrant colours and unexpected twists and turns bring the scenes to life.
Incredible and distorted facial expressions combine with everyday scenes of the Jemaa el-Fna to fill each canvas with colour. The 20th century artistic movement of Cubism developed in an era of increased mechanism. Abdelaziz's characters, however, exude warmth and humour, engaged in distinctly unmechanised activities - serving orange juice and pulling out teeth!
Abdelaziz's artwork has been featured in exhibitions in Morocco and abroad, including at the Whitney Centre for the Arts, Pittsfield, Cathedrale de Sacre Coeur, Casablanca and Institute Francais, Agadir.
