Mehdi Qotbi

Mehdi Qotbi’s art defies conventional categories, where the boundaries between abstraction and figuration dissolve, embodying what he calls “désécriture,” a deconstruction of language creating a unique visual expression. His work, characterized by the millennia-old tradition of Hurufiyya Arabic calligraphy, is inspired by his rich Moroccan heritage. It is at once deeply personal yet universally resonant as a celebration of freedom of gesture and of expression. Over the years, he has collaborated with numerous esteemed writers, poets and famous academics, who contributed their words to his rich tapestry of “Rencontre écrites,” including Michel Butor, Aimé Césaire, Léopold Sédar Senghor and Octavio Paz to name a few. This book showcases the works of the Franco-Moroccan artist to whom the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris, is dedicating a retrospective in October 2024.