This drawing by Soufiane Ababri features bold, contrasting colors with a dominant pink background and a dark central shape resembling a book cover or tombstone, inscribed with the phrase "THE BALLAD OF READING GOAL" in red. The composition utilizes strong, simple lines and a minimalistic style reminiscent of Persian miniatures, emphasizing themes of concealment and revelation. Ababri's work reflects his introspective exploration of societal tensions and personal narratives, crafted from the confines of his bed, blending art with sociological observation. ...
It is in his bed, lying down, that Soufiane Ababri makes his "bed works". In essence, he examines the ambivalence of a society that is criss-crossed by tensions that are not so much the reflection of its contradictions, but rather of its complementarity. His heritage lies in his own story, built up by layer upon layer of personal and intimate events. A lover of sociology, Ababri’s entire body of work plays with the idea of seeing: the artist observes a world that observes him in a form of introspection combining his own unique perception, shared representations and accepted social facts in an exercise that is reminiscent of Persian miniatures and their subtle play with what is hidden and what is revealed. ...
