Private Collection, Geneva (acquired directly from the artist in 1985)

This work is in good condition. There are some light undulations throughout the thumb, and a fine 8cm hairline line restoration running across the second Henna square on the thumb. There is a minute loss on the lower left part of the hand, adjacent to the heart. There are areas of discoloration to the Hannah throughout, all of which are inherent to the artist’s choice of medium. The colours in catalogue illustration are fairly accurate, with the overall tonality tending more towards a softer terracotta tone.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Farid Belkahia is one of the most prominent contemporary Moroccan artists working today. His artistic practise has developed an innovative form of iconography which has greatly influenced the artistic production of his contemporaries. As early as 1962, Belkahia sought to create a visual language inspired by his native traditions. It was during this time that he returned to Morocco and was appointed Director of the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Casablanca, where he taught the principles of Arabic calligraphy, folkloric geometric patterns, jewellery, carpets and design, focusing to promote the origins of indigenous handcraft.

Applying this concept, Belkahia abandoned traditional oil painting in 1965, and began to explore natural pigments and organic surfaces. His colours were thereafter taken from mineral and plant sources, such as henna, saffron, cobalt, and pomegranate skin. He disregarded the conventional square canvas shape and instead began stretching animal skin on organically shaped frames, incorporating metal and other indigenous techniques in emulation of Moroccan artisanship. Belkahia uses vellum that is washed, rubbed and dried before he starts working on the medium. He developed a distinctive style of stretched leather pai𝔉ntings which incorporated popular signs, motifs, numbers, Arabic calligraphy and characters taken from Berber script; of which the present work is a fine example. His compositions present a metaphysical quest to recall memories, and in so doing, 🍒to explore the ambivalence of beings and things.

Belkahia created his first series of Hand in 1980 as part of a work of large hands shaped from wooden blocks. The hand (khamsa), is representative of the hand of Fatima, the Prophet Muhammad’s daughter, and is a protective symbol against the evil eye. The carved wooden block is covered with stretched vellum. The dense surface ornamentation depicts an array of geometric symbols, including triangles, lozenges, diamonds, and crosses, as well as magical numbers and various samples of the Tifinagh script, still in use amongst Berber and related Tuareg people from Morocco. In Hand, the artist’s employment of animal🅰 skin evokes the sacrifice of the animal; his use of the colourful henna motifs awaken the memory of joyful symbolic events,  such as, weddings and coming of age ceremonies. The skin is the most vital part of the body: it has a sensual memory of touch and temperature, yet it can also be branded and scalded. Skin remembers pleasure and pain, heat and cold. It is this essence that Belkahia chooses to convey in his use of vellum, embedding memory, sensuality and mysticism within his dynamic compositions.