Chourouk Hriech's Monumental Mural at Parc des Oiseaux
Franco-Moroccan artist Chourouk Hriech has unveiled a monumental mural at the Parc des Oiseaux in Ain, France, an extraordinary piece that embodies her artistic vision, interweaving themes of memory, migration, and boundaries. This remarkable work is part of the contemporary art trail featured in the park, which has only been introduced since its opening in 1970. Spanning 35 hectares and located less than 40 km from Lyon, the park now showcases the vibrant narratives of seven invited artists, with Hriech's contribution standing out as a personal testament to her creative journey. The mural, executed in striking black and white, features a collage of local architecture and poignant memories intertwined with representations of majestic swans and a toucan, crafted in a manner reminiscent of a puzzle that transcends traditional scales and borders.
The Artistic Evolution of Chourouk Hriech
For Hriech, her participation in this inaugural edition of _Les Étincelantes_, curated by Fanny Robin, evokes a sense of returning to her roots. Born in Bourg-en-Bresse in 1977, she spent her childhood near Montrevel-en-Bresse, frequently visiting the ornithological park during school trips and family outings. Exhibiting her work in such a familiar space, surrounded by friends, family, and former teachers, has been a profoundly emotional experience for her, recalling her early triumphs in art competitions during primary school. Initially aspiring to become an archaeologist, Hriech's artistic journey took a turn when she enrolled in the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts de Lyon, where she graduated in 2002. Her career began to flourish with her first exhibition at the CRAC in Sète, a city that has since become her second home. Now residing in Marseille, she has spent the last decade teaching at the Beaux-Arts in Marseille, imparting her knowledge and experience to the next generation of artists.
Over the past 25 years, Hriech has predominantly worked with Indian ink, a medium that challenges and inspires her creativity. Rather than allowing the constraints of this medium to stifle her, she embraces unexpected marks or missteps on the paper, integrating them into her designs and reinventing her lines in a spontaneous and fluid manner, much like a musician improvising after a mistake during a performance. This approach to art allows her to express her narratives while maintaining a distinct graphic quality that often veers away from traditional painting.
Influenced by renowned artists such as Henri Matisse and Hiroshige, Hriech's work reflects a deep engagement with visual storytelling. Matisse's _L’Atelier rouge_, which she imagines to be inspired by Moroccan carpets, serves as a source of contemplation regarding perspective and the dismantling of barriers. Similarly, through Hiroshige's work, she draws inspiration from the Japanese concept of 'floating worlds,' where the boundaries between humans, nature, and architecture dissolve, manifesting a vision rooted in interdependence and equality.
Hriech's fascination with birds further enriches her artwork, as they are not merely decorative elements but symbols of familial connection and migration. Growing up with canaries and mandarins in her mother's aviaries and witnessing the storks flying over Bresse, she came to view these birds as messengers of family ties bridging distant lands. In her current home in Marseille, she has cultivated her garden to attract sparrows, blue tits, and black-capped warblers, reinforcing her bond with avian life. Thus, when offered the opportunity to contribute to the first open-air contemporary art trail at Parc des Oiseaux, which hosts around 3,000 birds from 300 species, it felt like a natural fit, leading her to donate the mural she created for the park.
Looking ahead, Hriech's exhibition schedule reflects a geographic expansion that transcends her origins. Starting September 19, she will showcase her work at the Centre d’art Le Parc in the Landes, followed by a presentation at the crypt of Orsay, and participation in the 15th Rencontres de Bamako. Upcoming personal exhibitions are planned in Belgrade for March 2024 and a return to Morocco in May 2027 at the _L’Atelier 21_ gallery in Casablanca. However, the most symbolic event will be in December at the Paul Valéry Museum in Sète, where she will present _Le chant des seuils_, a significant solo exhibition. This museum, directly across from the canal and the CRAC where she held her first exhibition, symbolizes a full circle in her artistic journey, showcasing how far she has come since her beginnings.
Chourouk Hriech's exploration of themes surrounding memory, migration, and the interconnectedness of life continues to resonate deeply within her work, creating a rich tapestry that invites viewers to question boundaries and embrace a shared humanity.
As reported by lecourrierdelatlas.com.
