Djamel Kokene Solo Exhibition "Theater of Operations"

Djamel Kokene "Theater of Operations" Solo Exhibition: April 17 to May 29 at Anne de Villepoix Gallery. Djamel Kokene (born 1968) is a new-generation Algerian artist of a cross-cultural generation. Based in France, he currently creates nomadically across many countries; his diverse explorations excel in objects, sculpture, images, and video. Clearly, in today's globalized art world, the contemporary Middle Eastern art map is no longer absent or ignored. A awakening and rise of new creative vitality is evident, such as Palestine’s Mona Hatoum, Iran’s Shirin Neshat, Egypt’s Ghada Amer, or Algeria’s Adel Abdessemed and Kader Attia, all of whom are worthy of attention.

The rise and development of contemporary Middle Eastern art cannot be separated from the influence of local conditions: post-colonialism, war, political violence, social environments, pressure of tradition, historical interpretations of individual freedom, and facing the tyranny of religious regimes, among others. These issues nurture the creative imagery and intellectual dimensions of art. Clearly, contemporary Middle Eastern art, like the current globalized creative landscape, divides into two main attributes of exploration: the globalized—caring about the transformation of local political, economic, and cultural images within international grand styles; and another part choosing local cultivation—using local homeland images and perspectives as modern creative symbols and discourses.

Algerian contemporary art is almost entirely built on post-colonial contexts, featuring strong political critique and reflection. New-generation Djamel Kokene is no exception. In this "Theater of Operations" solo exhibition, the overall form unfolds under an unimaginable atmosphere of smoke and fire, sharp tension, and unease, questioning post-historical situations, urban and social riots, frustration, failure, images of power, personal faith, and social justice, among other things. All these stem from the inner world of post-colonial consciousness, mixing impolite and poetic situations, bringing the audience into extraordinary realistic imagination.

The theme "Theater of Operations" is established on a military tone, equating psychological processes, subverting the logic of justification and consistency in everyone’s behavior and attitude. The artist critiques starting from these existing structural forms, combining concepts organized by experiential time according to situational conditions, fully displaying the transformation of consciousness through behaviors such as appropriation, manipulation, and arrangement. This exhibition not only elucidates our subtle relationship with the world, urban environment, and politics, but further re-examines art.