About The Work
“Djamila” depicts Djamila Bouhired, one of the female combatants who took part in The Battle of Algiers. Djamila, like her comrades carried out attacks against the colonial French population in Algiers. Later, she was captured by the French military and put on trial in Paris before being convicted and eventually pardoned and returned to Algeria. Upon her return she and many of the other female combatants found reintegration into Algerian society to be difficult. Eventually, Djamila moved to France, marrying the attorney who had represented her at trial. Today she is a women’s rights advocate, fighting for greater equality for women in Algeria.
Inspired by Gillo Pontecorvo’s film “The Battle of Algiers” this piece attempt to show how these women were both aggressors and victims, victimized both by their French adversaries and ostercised by Algerian society. The background references patterning that might be found in religious artwork or in that commissioned by a monarch. This is intended to raise these women out of anonymity and into the spotlight, placing an aura of importance around them. In addition this work references the long history of artists making work depicting Algerian women, such as Delacroix and Picasso. While the anonymous women in the Delacroix and Picasso’s works were shown as sexual objects, the woman in this print defies simple classification. She is both aggressor and victim, existing in a moral grey zone much like the grey tones in which she is shown.
The image was rendered using traditional lithographic techniques taken to an extreme fruition, afterwards finished with hand applied embellishments.
Courtesy of Bedrock Editions
Lithograph mounted on Komatex, with collage, painted map tacks, and gold pins
22.00 x 22.00 x 0.50 in
55.9 x 55.9 x 1.3 cm
This original hand printed lithograph is signed on verso by the artist and comes with a certificate of authenticity.
About The Work
“Djamila” depicts Djamila Bouhired, one of the female combatants who took part in The Battle of Algiers. Djamila, like her comrades carried out attacks against the colonial French population in Algiers. Later, she was captured by the French military and put on trial in Paris before being convicted and eventually pardoned and returned to Algeria. Upon her return she and many of the other female combatants found reintegration into Algerian society to be difficult. Eventually, Djamila moved to France, marrying the attorney who had represented her at trial. Today she is a women’s rights advocate, fighting for greater equality for women in Algeria.
Inspired by Gillo Pontecorvo’s film “The Battle of Algiers” this piece attempt to show how these women were both aggressors and victims, victimized both by their French adversaries and ostercised by Algerian society. The background references patterning that might be found in religious artwork or in that commissioned by a monarch. This is intended to raise these women out of anonymity and into the spotlight, placing an aura of importance around them. In addition this work references the long history of artists making work depicting Algerian women, such as Delacroix and Picasso. While the anonymous women in the Delacroix and Picasso’s works were shown as sexual objects, the woman in this print defies simple classification. She is both aggressor and victim, existing in a moral grey zone much like the grey tones in which she is shown.
The image was rendered using traditional lithographic techniques taken to an extreme fruition, afterwards finished with hand applied embellishments.
Courtesy of Bedrock Editions
Edition: 14 Published by Bedrock Art Editions
- Ships in 3 to 7 business days from Missouri.
- This work is final sale and not eligible for return.
- Questions about this work?
- Interested in other works by this artist or other artists? We will source them for you.
- Want to pay in installments?
Contact an Artspace Advisor
advisor@artspace.com
