"I Put My Soul into My Photographs," Says Tunisian Photographer Kais Ben Farhat
The Tunisian photographer Kais Ben Farhat is currently participating in a collective exhibition at the Galerie Mille Feuilles. The guiding theme appears to be "walls," but his works go beyond a superficial reading to become an expression of self and an existential questioning.
A Dense Career Path
Kais Ben Farhat's career path is particularly dense, with 5 personal exhibitions, around 40 collective exhibitions, and 4 national awards. This long-standing passion began with a simple disposable camera acquired during a summer camp, as he told us. "My childhood was marked by a feeling of misunderstanding and great hypersensitivity, which naturally led me to art."
To pursue specialized training, he was asked questions about various fields, including design and cinema, during an interview. However, it was noticed that his attention was more focused on photography. The renowned artist Hamieddine Bouli took Kais Ben Farhat under his wing. He attended courses at the Academy of Arts in Carthage with such assiduity and enthusiasm that after just 6 months, he won the second Canon Prize in 2008. A year later, he began exhibiting his work. He obtained a degree in photography and continued his artistic quest, guided by fervor and determination.
A Reflection of His Soul
Kais Ben Farhat combines a documentary gaze and introspection in his photographs. They reflect what he thinks, but above all, what he feels. Rather than representing simple facts or actions, his photographs often serve as a pretext for exploring intimate and profound themes: fragility, solitude, the human condition, emotional tensions... "I put my soul into my photographs," the artist confided in us. "I have photographed suffering in slums, bars, psychiatric hospitals... I am sensitive to misery in the existential sense, not the financial sense."
When asked if he seeks to convey specific messages through the themes of his works, the artist shared his approach to photography as a mirror, much like Van Gogh, who painted himself on his canvases. "I have already worked on melancholy in 2019, in a personal exhibition that was a kind of catharsis. My exhibition 'Life of a Dog' is a self-portrait through photographs of stray dogs. It's not a defense of the animal cause, as one might think. I am someone who is very fearful, just like them. But if you approach me gently to gain my trust and know how to tame me, I let out all the happiness and affection I can give."
Black and White: His Signature
Kais Ben Farhat has opted for black and white, which he brings to life. This binary vision of the world is an assumed visual language that highlights textures, forms, and the intensity of his subjects. "It's my signature. It reflects my temperament, which is either black or white, but never gray," he explains. He has covered dozens of shows over 7 years and will finally present a large exhibition of theater photographs titled Monologue/Monochrome at the 4th Art Hall in Tunis in 2024/2025. In his works, even light is photographed in black and white. Does this aesthetic choice limit him? Does he think of changing to more colorful photographs? "Never," the artist replied. "It's my touch. I am a specialist in black and white. There are great agencies like Magnum that always stick to this choice, even if one might think that colors could add more joy."
Improvisation and Inspiration
Are his photographs planned in advance or rather improvised? Kais Ben Farhat explained his approach. "I walk naturally, and when I see a scene that intrigues me, I couldn't miss it, or I wouldn't sleep at night. A painter friend told me that I'm not passionate, but rather inhabited by photography. It's actually a career that you can't pursue without passion. There are those who do it mechanically, but I let myself be guided by my feelings, and I sense an inexhaustible inspiration within me." When asked what a good photograph means to him, he simply replied, "When it stirs something in me."
Sharing Knowledge and Experience
In addition to artistic expression, Kais Ben Farhat shares his knowledge and experience through workshops and training sessions. He has participated in several workshops with international photographers from Magnum Photos, Agence France Presse, and others. He has led masterclasses at the National Theater of Tunis and even at the Faculty of Medicine.
A Hidden Talent
Another talent remains in the background compared to his notoriety in photography: writing. It is noticeable through the texts he publishes on social networks. "I discovered my taste for writing at the age of six, and I was encouraged to develop it further, but photography eventually took over."
Kais Ben Farhat is currently featured in a collective exhibition at the Galerie Mille Feuilles in La Marsa, which opened on Sunday, February 1st. Will his next project be a sixth personal exhibition or a book? To be followed...
