Born to Tunisian parents in the suburbs of Paris, el Seed has risen to the forefront of the Arab graffiti scene over the past few years. He stands out for his unique style which mixes Arabic calligraphy with the modern art of graffiti, relying on poignant messages and unconventional writing styles. el Seed started out as a business consultant and gradually developed his style while learning to read and write in Arabic over the past decade.
Last spring, Medrar.TV and Alexandrian street artist Aya Tarek visited el Seed in Dubai`s Tashkeel arts center where he was staying for a residency to discuss his sources of inspiration and the ways his work has been received by local audiences and in the West.
eL Seed’s art has made works in Paris, New York, Jeddah and Melbourne, in addition to his home country Tunisia. He completed a piece about unity on the 47 meter-high minaret of the Jara mosque in Gabes, Tunisia in 2012. He was commissioned by the Qatar Museums Authority to paint tunnels in Doha in 2013. el Seed took part in La Tour Paris 13, the largest collective street art exhibition in the world, and has collaborated with international luxury brand Louis Vuitton, where he created a unique calligraffiti design for the classic monogram scarf.
The interview is in Arabic and has English subtitles.
[This video was produced by Medrar TV and is featured in partnership with Jadaliyya Culture]