Algerian artist Mehdi Hachid left his mark on the Mediterranean Design Biennale in Izmir in January 2024 with his new work entitled “Waiting For Noah”. This exhibition marks a major turning point in the career of the artist, who presents his work for the first time in the prestigious framework of this international meeting bringing together more than twenty artists from the Mediterranean basin.
Waiting for Noah: an ode to the environmental cause
“Waiting For Noah” transcends the boundaries of traditional art by evoking, through a deconstructed boat, the tragedy of perilous journeys in the Mediterranean. The work inaugurates an artistic cycle dedicated to the humanitarian and environmental issues of this region of the world (pollution, global warming, North-South disparities).
Mehdi Hachid aspires to raise public awareness of these challenges through a series of installations that challenge both the intellect and the emotions. His art explores the fates of migrants fleeing poverty, fishermen deprived of their means of subsistence, but also endangered marine ecosystems. Through his work, the artist questions the links that unite or separate the populations around this common basin.
“Waiting For Noah” thus represents both the despair and the hope of the people of the Mediterranean. Through his artistic commitment, Mehdi Hachid invites the viewer to introspection on the crucial issues that shape the contemporary Mediterranean. His presence at the Izmir Biennale underlines the universal scope of his message and his commitment to an artistic and humanist dialogue on the great challenges of our time.
