Omar Bey

Born in 1973, Tunisian artist Omar Bey graduated from L’Institut Supérieur des Beaux-arts in 1998 and completed a residency at Cité Internationale des Arts in 2012. Through painting, collage and found object assemblages, he developed an innovative manner of manipulating material which evokes surprise, humour, and contemplation. The themes revolve around the paradoxical excess of human existence. Each work explores an absurdity, mainly brought forth by the choice of material. Elemental attributes such as texture seem to contrast and clash, creating the “quirk” in his final product. His work is akin to “art brut” and is characterised by his juxtaposition of solid heavy objects with light airy materials.