THIS LONG JOURNEY INTO YOUR GAZE

Rachid Koraïchi, 2019

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Factum Arte was delighted to collaborate with the Casa Árabe for Rachid Koraïchi's first exhibition in Spain. Entitled "This Long Journey into Your Gaze" ("Este largo viaje hasta tu mirada" in Spanish), the exhibit presented several series of bronze sculptures, corten artworks, steel and alabaster tablets all produced at Factum's workshops.

A few weeks before the opening, Factum was filled with 700 water-jet cut calligraphic 'figures' seemingly solely composed of gestural Arabic characters that then spread across the Neo-Mudéjar building located at the heart of Madrid as part of the first solo display of Koraïchi's work in Spain.

"This Long Journey into Your Gaze" was open from the 20th March and ran until 12th May 2019, before moving to the Casa Árabe in Cordoba on June 5th.

 

© Oak Taylor Smith

 
'Les Grands Priants'

Bronze, 280 x 130 x 70 cm

The calligraphic figures are cast in bronze in different pieces that are then welded together. A patina is then applied to the bronze, resulting in this green aspect being given to the metal.

© Oak Taylor Smith

© Oak Taylor Smith

© Oak Taylor Smith

© Oak Taylor Smith

 
'Les Priants' (2016)

Corten steel, 160 x 80 x 30 cm

Based on a series of 21 original drawings by the artist, these are transformed into the physical through waterjet incision onto corten steel. This material was chosen to create a distinctly aged and weathered appearance; this actually enhances with time once the metal reacts with atmospheric elements.

© Oak Taylor Smith

© Oak Taylor Smith

© Oak Taylor Smith

More information here.

 
'L'Humanitié' (2017)

Corten steel, 28 cm

These calligraphic figures begin their journey on paper. Koraïchi drew 700 singular shapes, each unique and with its own identity. These drawings are first vectorised digitally to ensure that their structure is strong enough. Using waterjet cutting, the figure is then carved in corten following the exact lines and curves of the drawings. The sculpture also comes with a base, with the third step to inscribe this with Koraïchi's signature using a vinyl stencil and acid.
Finally, the piece is assembled together, sandblasted and oxidized – its rusty colour then changes with time.

© Oak Taylor Smith

© Oak Taylor Smith

© Oak Taylor Smith

© Oak Taylor Smith

 
'The Prophet' (2017)

Alabaster, 49 x 49 cm

These alabasters tablets are a direct homage to Jalil Gibran’s famed book 1923 'The Prophet' – Rachid Koraïchi enlisted a calligrapher to transcribe extracts from the text into beautiful Arabic script.

Those words were then routed in alabaster, providing them a sense of relief as well as translucency. A drawing of the same size, designed by Koraïchi and also routed in alabaster, illustrates the wise words of peace, tolerance, love and fraternity.

© Oak Taylor Smith

© Oak Taylor Smith

© Oak Taylor Smith

© Oak Taylor Smith

© Oak Taylor Smith

© Oak Taylor Smith

© Oak Taylor Smith

© Oak Taylor Smith

 
'Bronze Tablets' (2016)

Bronze, 35 x 22 x 3 cm

These 22 tablets were produced in Factum Arte's foundry just north of Madrid. Each tablet had its own individual mould in which it was cast in bronze. The surface was then patinated in order to result in this dark, stone-like appearance. The second step was to engrave Rachid Koraïchi’s drawings using stencils, causing the natural colour of the bronze to rise to the surface.
For the artist, the tablets represent ablution stones.

More information here.

© Oak Taylor Smith

 
'African Talismans - Tribute to Tierno Bokar ' (2017)

Steel, 22 x 16 cm

The steel tablets were first specifically cut to take the shape of the Koranic tablets used by young pupils to learn the Koran. These tablets are etching plates: a method of printmaking involving a metal plate, in this case steel, onto which the design is incised by acid. The plate is first coated with an acid-resistant substance over which the design is drawn with a sharp tool. This is then exposed to a nitric acid which eats away those areas of the plate unprotected by the grounds, forming an extraordinary pattern of recessed lines.

© Oak Taylor Smith

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