Adel Abdessemed has been one of the major figures in contemporary art since he entered the international creative world in the early 2000s. In 2012, after recent exhibitions in Nagoya, Venice, London, Tel Aviv, Berlin and New York, his work was featured in a large exhibition at the Centre Georges Pompidou. Well-known for his capacity to produce images generally considered violent, he seems to appeal to the immediate reaction of the viewer. However, under closer observation, his work appears to be of great cultural and intellectual complexity. In a conversation with Italian art critic Pier Luigi Tazzi, Abdessemed explains the personal and creative background to bis work a background that has hitherto been hidden. As he retraces his artistic joumey, its major steps, and his major works, his remarks go beyond the framework to raise fundamental issues: What does it mean to be an artist today? What role does the relationship between art and the art market play in the life of a contemporary artist? What part should literature, philosophy and personal memory take in image making? What place is there left for the artist in contemporary politics and society?
With this unique document, the reader is provided with the possibility to think about the position art should hold in a world that is being redefined by globalization. According to this old-fashioned, yet incredibly current perspective, the artist appears as the heart of present tensions and the keeper of a vision. Once again, he strives to change the world.