Algerian Radio
The National Museum of Fine Arts of Algiers has commemorated the 40th anniversary of the passing of the Algerian artist M’hamed Issiakhem (1928-1985), a prominent figure in Algerian painting, by shedding light on his career and artistic legacy.
Visual artists and Issiakhem’s son, Younès, participated in this commemoration, which served as an occasion to retrace the "pivotal" stages of the life and career of the artist who left his mark on 20th-century Algerian painting.
On this occasion, Younès Issiakhem presented the latest updates to the website dedicated to Issiakhem's work. This digital portal, created in 2023, offers a virtual tour of the Issiakhem gallery, bringing together 110 paintings arranged in chronological order, allowing visitors to observe the artist's aesthetic and technical evolution over the years.
For his part, art collector and researcher Djaafar Inal praised the qualities of the artist, with whom he said he had "maintained a long friendship and a fruitful collaboration in the artistic field."
Described as a "man of exceptional human qualities," Issiakhem was profoundly affected by the events of his childhood and carried within him the suffering of the Algerian people, Inal testified.
During French colonization, the art collector continued, Issiakhem used art as "a cry against injustice and oppression."
The National Museum of Fine Arts presented a collection of authentic works by Issiakhem for the occasion, illustrating his career and his "unique" creative genius, forged by years of research and experimentation.
"Maternité" (Maternity), "Grossesse" (Pregnancy), "Rouge" (Red), "Dépression" (Depression), "La Casbah," and "Autoportrait" (Self-Portrait) are among the canvases where the artist's sensibilities, emotions, and "internalized" sentiments are expressed.
Furthermore, a drawing workshop aimed at students of the Higher School of Fine Arts was led by Professor Mohand Amokrane, with the objective of reproducing certain works by Issiakhem.
Born in 1928 in Azeffoun (Tizi Ouzou), M'hamed Issiakhem is considered one of the most influential artistic figures in the Algerian plastic arts landscape during the 20th century, distinguished by an exceptional journey marked by artistic and humanitarian commitment.
