Massinissa Selmani
Presentation
Massinissa Selmani was born in 1980 in Alger (Algeria). He lives and works in Tours.
His works have their origins in political and social news, taken from press clippings he has been collecting for many years. By confronting and juxtaposing these real elements without logical coherence, he creates enigmatic, ambiguous scenes. By its simplicity as a tool, Massinissa Selmani makes drawing a central medium of his practice. His work, in which the gravity of the subjects is carried by humor, the absurd and simplicity of means, often presents drawings that depict strange or absurd situations made of improbable assemblages tinged with a certain gravity. Indeed, Massinissa Selmani experiments with drawing in all its forms: on paper, tracing paper, animation, installations, and more recently on sculptures designed as drawings in space. Through his experimental approach to drawing, Massinissa Selmani plays on the boundary between the real and the unreal, the comic and the tragic, characteristic of his work.
In 2023, Massinssa Selmani has been nominated for the Marcel Duchamp Prize. His work has also been hailed by a special mention of the jury at the 56th Venice Biennale (All the World's Futures, curated by Okwui Enwezor in 2015). He has taken part in numerous solo and group exhibitions in France and abroad. Winner of the Art collector prize and the Sam Prize in 2016, Massinissa Selmani has also been exhibited at the Dakar Biennial in 2014, the first Vendôme Triennial and the Lyon Biennial in 2015, the Orléans Architecture Biennial in 2017 and at the Kochi-Muziris Biennale in India in 2023. His work is now part of important public and private collections, such as the Musée National d'Art Moderne, Centre Pompidou, Musée d'Art Contemporain de Lyon, Frac Centre and the Samdani Art Foundation (Bangladesh).
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EDUCATION
DNSEP, école supérieure des beaux-arts de Tours (with Honors)
DNAP, école supérieure des beaux-arts de Tours (with Honors)
SOLO SHOWS (SELECTION)
2025
Dans quel sens traverser les antipodes, Château de Servières, Marseille, France
Distances, Aranya Art Center, Qinhuangdao, China
Loophole, Casa Di Marino, Galleria Umberto Di Marino, Naples, Italie
2024
L'un sans l'autre, Frac Picardie, Amiens, France
A fault in the mirage, Galerie Jane Lombard, New-York, United-States
1000 villages, Index Foundation, Stockholm, Sweden
Oursins de la mémoire, Frac MÉCA, Bordeaux, France
2023
1000 villages, curated by Natasha Marie Llorens, Rhizome, Algiers, Algeria
Une parcelle d'horizon au milieu du jour, Prix Marcel Duchamp, Centre Pompidou – Musée d'Art Moderne, Paris, France
On a Rock, a Brief Circle of sun, curator Roger Malbert, Galerie Selma Feriani, London, United-Kingdom
2022
Après l'ordinaire, Été 78, Brussels, Belgium
On a Rock, a Brief Circle of Sun, Galerie Selma Feriani, Tunis, Tunisia
2021
Rien sinon du rêve au doigt, Galerie Anne-Sarah Bénichou, Paris, France
2019
Le calme de l'idée fixe, CCCOD Tours, France
Choses fortuites, château d'Oiron, Oiron, France
Poles apart, Musée d'art africain, Belgrade, Serbia
2018
Episodes, Itinéraires Graphiques du Pays de Lorient, École européenne supérieure d'art de Bretagne, Lorient, France
Ce qui coule n'a pas de fin, curator Yoann Gourmel, SAM prize for contemporary Art, Palais de Tokyo, Paris, France
2017
Les choses que vous faites m'entourent, Galerie Anne-Sarah Bénichou, Paris, France
The pace of the outsides, Akinci Gallery, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Même dans la pierre il y a du sable, curator Philippe Piguet, Galerie de l'Etrave, Thonon les Bains, France
Le vent ne veut jamais rester dehors, Galerie Selma Feriani, Tunis, Tunisia
2016
L'horizon était là, Maison Salvan, Labège, France
Bleu comme une orange, curator Catherine David Prix Art [ ]Collector, Paris, France
Art Basel, Selma Feriani Gallery
2015
Centre de création contemporaine Olivier Debré CCC OD, Tours, France
2013
L'usine ne fait pas les nuages, Galerie Talmart, Paris, France
L'Allure des choses, Galerie Mamia Bretesché, Paris, France
2011
L'Octroi, exposition de fin de résidence, Tours, France
à côté! au Volapuk, Tours, France
GROUP SHOWS (SELECTION)
2026
(Soon) Rememory, 25th Biennale of Sydney, Australia
2024
Horizons in motion, Frac Centre-Val de Loire, Orléans, France
Drawing Now, Galerie Anne-Sarah Bénichou, Paris, France
Le ciel est joli comme un ange, Galerie Anne-Sarah Bénichou, Paris, France
Inspiré.e.s - Acte 4, curator Lucile Hitier, L'ArtSenal, Dreux, France
Spectres Visibles, Christies, Paris France
2023
Taipei Biennal, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, curated by Freya Chou, Brian Kuan Wood, Reem Shadid, Taïwan
De leur temps (7), un regard sur des collections privées, Frac Grand-Large - Hauts-de-France, Dunkerque, France
Voyage dans le dessin, Galerie Anne-Sarah Bénichou, Paris, France
La ligne trouble, Agence culturelle départementale Dordogne-Périgord, Périgueux, France
2022
In Our Veins Flow Ink and Fire, Kochi – Muziris Biennale, Curated by Shubigi Rao, India
Gabrovo Biennale, Museum of Humor and Satire, Gabrovo, Bulgaria
2021
Figures, Galerie Anne-Sarah Bénichou, Paris, France
Le jour n'est pas si loin, Manifesta, Lyon, France
Les Partis pris d'Anne-Sarah Bénichou, curated by Henri Guette, Festival International du Livre et du Film d'art, Perpignan, France
Drawing Biennial, The Drawing Room, London, United Kingdom
Alger, Archipel des libertés, curator Abdelkader Damani, FRAC Centre – Val de Loire, Orléans, France
A gorge sèche, après la traversée, IESA Arts & Culture, Paris, France
EN ATTENDANT OMAR GATLATO, Regard sur l'art en Algérie et dans sa diaspora, curator Natasha Marie Llorens, production Triangle France – Astérides, Marseille, France
2021 = 5, exhibition celebrating the 5th anniversary of the gallery, Galerie Anne-Sarah Bénichou, Paris, France
Chamboulement, Galerie C, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
2020
Figurez-vous…, dessins de la collection du Musée d'art contemporain (MAC) Lyon, Manifesta, Lyon France
Waiting for Omar Gatlato, Wallach Art Gallery, New York City, United States
2019
Dimension supplémentaire, Souillac, France
Incursioni D'arte Nella Civiltà, Fondation Remotti, Camoglie, GE, Italy
"Signes personnages", CCC OD, Tours, France
Drawing Biennial, The Drawing Room, London, United Kingdom
Beirut Art Fair (Anne-Sarah Bénichou gallery)
Paréidolie, International Contemporary Drawing Fair, Marseille, France (Anne-Sarah Bénichou gallery)
2018
No Looking Back, Okay? curator Simona Vidmar, Maribor Art Gallery, Slovenia
Habiter la Méditerranée, Institut Valencien d'Art Moderne (IVAM), Valencia, Spain
Drawing Lab: cinéma d'été, DrawingLab, Paris, France
A Slice through the World: Contemporary Artists? Drawings, Modern Art Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
2017
Art [ ] Collector 5x 2+1, 10 laureate Art [ ] Collector since 2012, et Mehdi-Georges Lahlou (artiste invité), curator Philippe Piguet, Patinoire Royale/Galerie Valérie Bach Bruxelles, Belgium
Marcher dans le rêve d?un autre, Biennale d'architecture d'Orléans, curator: Abdelkader Damani et Luca Galofaro, Frac Centre, Orléans, France
Where the f*ck is my sock, Akinci Gallery, Amsterdam, Pays-Bas
Mouvements, Salle des Pavillons, Lyon. In collaboration with Veduta, Lyon biennial 2017
The intimate ennemy, curator Pelagica, Milan, Italy
Un monde in-tranquille, Abbaye Saint- André, Centre d'art contemporain, Meymac, France
Réparations, Frac Centre, Orléans, France
I Want! I Want!: Art & Technology. curator : Deborah Smith, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, United-Kingdom
Drawing Biennal 2017, The Drawing Room, Londres, United Kingdom
Tamawuj, 13ème biennale de Sharjah, curator Christine Tohmé
The pace of outsides, Duo show, Massinissa Selmani-Albrecht Schnider, Akinci Gallery, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Social Calligraphies, Zacheta- National Gallery of art, Poland, curated by Magda Kardasz
All we need, Private choice, Paris, France
FIAC, Paris (Selma Feriani gallery)
Paréidolie, International Contemporary Drawing Fair, Marseille (Galerie Anne-Sarah Bénichou)
2016
Art [ ] Collector 5×2. Curator Philippe Piguet, Paris, Patio Art Opéra, Paris, France
Stand Up! Dak'art Off 2016, Sénégal
Drawing Now, Paris (Selma Feriani Gallery)
Art Dubaï, EAU (Selma Feriani Gallery)
Art Dubaï Projects 2016, curator Yasmina Reggad
Zona Maco, Mexico DF (Yam Gallery)
Social Calligraphies, curator Magda Kardasz, Nationale Zach?ta gallery, Poland
2015
La vie moderne, 13ème Biennale de Lyon, curator Ralph Rugoff
Double take, Nature Morte Gallery, curator Diana C. Betancourt, New Delhi, India
PARÉIDOLIE, Salon International du Dessin Contemporain, Marseille, France
All the world's futures, 56th Venice biennial, curator Okwui Onwezor, Italy
1ère Triennale de Vendôme, curator Nadège Piton, Erik Noulette and Damien Sausset, France
DDessin, Paris Contemporary Drawing Art Fair, France
Dessine-moi une vidéo, Galerie Karima Celestin, Marseille, France
Carte blanche, Officine dell'immagine gallery, Milano, Italy
1 :54, contemporary African Art Fair, Primo Marella Gallery
2014
Singapore Art Fair, MENA Pavillon, curator Catherine David
Singapore Art Fair, Galerie Mamia Bretesché
Subliminaloops, Les Arteliers de la sources, Orléans, France
Walk under the same sky, Yam Gallery, SMA, Mexico
Intervening Space : From the ultimate to the world, The Mosaic Rooms, London, curator Yasmina Reggad
Produire le commun, Dakar Biennial, Sénégal, curator Elise Atangana, Smooth Ugochukwu NZEWI and Abdelkader Damani
Dibujos; Geografìa Variables, Yam Gallery, Mexico
DDessin, Paris Contemporary Drawing Fair, Atelier Richelieu, Paris, France
(Galerie Talmart)
Du point à la ligne, Galerie Mamia Bretesché, Paris, France
Portrait Redux, Galerie Selma Feriani, Tunis, Tunisia
2013
Art Connections, Brasov, Romania
(One) hope map, Hallen Belfort, curator Michel DeWilde, Bruges, Belgium
Projection de films d'animation à l'occasion de l'anniversaire de parution de la revue Afrikadaa, sur proposition de On the Roof, Le Lavoir Moderne Parisien, Paris, France
Exposition collective, Centre culturel Français d'Annaba, Algeria
2012
Festival Alternative, Belgrade, Serbia
Exposition collective, centre culturel Français d'Oran, Algéria
Limonaïa, Musée des beaux-arts de Tours, France, curator Marie-Claude Valentin et Ghislain Lauverjat
Exposition collective au Centre culturel Français d'Alger, Algeria
Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris
Place aux 14 janvier, Galerie Talmart, Paris
Faire Face, Galerie contemporaine de la ville de Chinon, curator Dominique Marchès
2011
Le jasmin l'emportera, théâtre Jean Vilar, Vitry-Sur-Seine, France
Habiter la terre, Biennale internationale d'art contemporain de Melle, France, curator Dominique Truco
Visions nocturnes, Musée des beaux arts de Tours, France
Petits formats, Tours, France
PRIZES
Finalist for the 23rd Marcel Duchamp price, 2023
Finalist for the Prix Sam pour l'art contemporain, 2016
Special mention at the 56th Venice biennial, 2015
Prix Art [ ] Collector, Paris, 2016
Bourse d'aide à la création Drac centre, 2013
RESIDENCIES
2021
Civitella Ranieri, Umbertide, Italy
2015
Résidence Veduta, 13ème Biennale de Lyon
Studio Perro Bravo, Mexico, on an invitation of Yam Gallery, SMA, Mexico
L'Octroi, with the support of Mode D'emploi, Tours, France
TALKS, CONFERENCES
2024
Christies, Paris France, with Mouna Mekouar
2022
Drawing Now Art Fair, Paris, France
2021
Bibliothèque municipale de Lyon, France
2019
Centre de création contemporaine Olivier Debré (CCCOD), Tours, France
5020 Gallery, Salzburg, Autriche
Les ateliers sauvgaes, Alger, Algérie
Esba TALM, Tours, France
2018
Panel conversation, Modern Art Oxford, Royaume-Uni
Museum of African art of Belgrade, Serbie
EHESS, Paris, France
Fondation Salomon, Annecy, France, with Philippe Piguet
2017
French Institute, talk with Ivana Vojt
Galerie de l'étrave, Thonon-les-bains, talk with Philippe Piguet
2016
Drawing Now Paris, talk with Philippe Piguet
2015
1:54 Forum, London, talk with Hoor Al Qassimi
Frac Champagne-Ardenne, France
ESAD Orléans, France
PUBLICATIONS (SELECTION)
2023
Monograph, Catherine David, Mouna Mekouar, Stephanie Straine, Kaveh Akbar, Skira editions
Drawing in the Present Tense, Claire Gilman and Roger Malbert, Thames & Hudson edition
2022
African Art Now, Fifty Pioneers Defining African Art for the Twenty-First Century, Osei Bonsu, Tate edition
Dessin dans l'art contemporain, Barbara Soyer, Editions Pyramyd
2021
Vitamin D3: Today's Best in Contemporary Drawing, Phaidon
2019
Waiting for Omar Gatlato, exhibition catalogue, Wallach Art Gallery, New York, United States, edited by Natasha Marie Llorens
2018
Ce qui coule n'a pas de fin, catalogue of the exhibition « Ce qui coule n'a pas de fin », Palais de Tokyo, Paris, France, with the support of SAM Art Projects by Jean Hubert Marin, Clothilde Chauvin et Yoann Gourmel
Poles apart, exhibition catalogue, texts by Ivana Vojt, ?edomir Vasi? and Irina Suboti?, African art museum, Belgrade, Serbia
2017
Marcher dans le rêve d'un autre, Biennale d'architecture d'Orléans
Tamawuj, 13th Sharjah Biennial
2016
Massinissa Selmani, Monographie digitale, Naima Editions, Paris, prefaced by Mathias Enard
Catalogue monographique, Prix Art [ ] Collector, Paris
Bleu comme une Orange, exhibition catalogue, texts by Evelyne Deret, François-Régis Lumbroso, Eve de Medeiros, Selma Feriani, Marc Monsallier, Art [ ] Collector Prize
2015
13rd Lyon biennial
56th Venice biennial
1st Vendôme trienniale
2014
Intervening Space : From the ultimate to the world, exhibition catalogue, London, text by Yasmina Reggad
2013
(One) Hope Map, exhibition catalogue
2012
Limonaïa, exhibition catalogue, text by Jérôme Diacre
2011
Habiter la terre, Biennale internationale d'art contemporain de Melle, exhibition catalogue, text by Dominique Truco
PRESS (SELECTION)
2018
Art absolument, Massinissa Selmani, le bizarre, l'étrange et l'incongru, Philippe Piguet
L'oeil, portrait by Philippe Piguet
Qantara, Un trait de crayon abolit le hasard, by Ingrid Perbal
2017
ArtForum, Massinissa Selmani, November, by Riccardo Venturi
Telerama.fr, Massinissa Selmani, un coup de crayon subversif et déroutant, by Alexia Guggémos
Le Monde, Massinissa Selmani, l?art de l?absurde, by Roxana Azimi
Délibéré.fr, Massinissa Selmani makes it visible, by Nina Leger
2016
Art Press N 432, Massinissa Selmani, entre comédie et tragédie
Revue l'oeil, Mars 2016, portrait by Philippe Piguet
Revue Jef Klak, 1000 villages, Massinissa Selmani
2015
Art Forum - Biennale on the brink
France Culture- Les carnets de la création, Massinissa Selmani
Le Monde Afrique- Les cinq artistes africains de l'année 2015
Sock-studio.com - Collapsing Utopia: Massinissa Selmani?s ?1000 Villages? and the Failed Algerian Agrarian Revolution of 1973
Diptyk N28- Venise sera-t-elle africaine ?
Le quotidien de l'art N°902- Chambre avec vue, Massinissa Selmani.
Contemporary And, Le dessin : un médium modeste ? C& s'entretient avec l'artiste Massinissa Selmani
Le Monde Afrique- A coups de crayons, Massinissa Selmani désamorce la violence
Tafmag - Massinissa Selmani dessine l?absurdité de la vie à partir de photos de presse
De(s)génétations N°22 - Penser avec l'Afrique
Les cahiers de l'Orient - Entretien avec Massinissa Selmani ? Anastasia Rostan
Revue Laura (Hors Série, Mai 2015) - Massinissa Selmani ou le bloc-notes magique
2014
Euronews.com - Paris's blue dog and wall of separation
L'expression (DZ) - Massinissa Selmani, l'usine ne fait pas les nuages
Arts Hebdo Medias- Massinissa Selmani, texte de Samantha Deman
Actuart.org - Massinissa Selmani, l'usine ne fait pas les nuages
COLLECTIONS
Artothèque of Pessac, France
Artothèque of Annecy, France
MAC Lyon, France
Art [ ]Collector, Paris
Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris
Frac Centre, France
Samdani Art Foundation, Bangladesh
Fonds d'art contemporain – Paris Collections, France
Cnap – Centre national des arts plastiques, France
British Museum, London, United-Kingdom