Biography of Tarek

Tarek Ben Yakhlef aka Tarek French Artist / painting, photographie, street art and comic book Born in Paris in 1971 and working in Rennes Member of ADAGP

« I started painting on canvas in 1990, after practicing graffiti from the end of 1985. I continued the graffiti until 1992, one year after the release of my book Paris Tonkar. Photography became my priority in art from 1991. Nevertheless, I continued to paint and draw during this period. In 2010, I decided to show my work on canvas and other media because I feel that after over 22 years of practice, I have reached some form of maturity that I like and I want to share with the public. »

Bio

Graduate of the Sorbonne (University Paris I) in medieval history and art history, Tarek released Paris Tonkar in 1991 at the age of 19 years: the first art book published in Europe dedicated to Spraycan art in Paris. It has become a reference book for all amateurs of urban art and specialists of Hip-­‐hop. He has exhibited his first paintings in 1992 in the Chapon gallery at the great exhibition Paris Graffiti, a significant event because the magazine 1Tox was presented the same time. He helped organize this exhibition and launch of the magazine: graffiti art knows his moment of glory during this period.Tarek chose to break away from that environment to better concentrate on his studies and writing of his master devoted to the Neo-­‐Platonists in Baghdad during the golden age of the Abbasids. He studied Arabic at the Bourguiba Institute in Tunis from 1992 to 1993, while making numerous photo reports. Tarek has lived in Damascus between 1995 and 1997, where he taught French and has given conferences at the French Cultural Centre (Damascus and Aleppo) and the School of Fine Arts in Latakia. His photographic work is exposed to Latakia and Damascus, then in France in many places including the Syrian Cultural Center in Paris and various cultural areas in the provinces.

Since 1999, Tarek has written more than sixty albums; he has worked with several publishers and he has won many awards including the Saint-­‐Michel for Best Screenplay in 2007 for Sir Arthur Benton. That same year, his work on this series has been exhibited at the Caen’s Memorial for four months: it was the first time a comic was well highlighted in a place for history and memory. His comics for young people are regularly used in schools since 2004.He regularly gives conferences on comics, history and contemporary art.

In 2009, he participated in a symposium on the Cold War in Caen’s Memorial by presenting his work on propaganda and Comics during this period. Tarek is dedicated more to photography and is currently preparing an anniversary edition of his first book also a book on the history of graffiti from 1983 to 1995. For twenty years he has worked and reflects on different artistic expressions: comics, graffiti, urban art, photography, video, Arabic calligraphy. He also worked in lot of magazines such as Bédéka, Meuriad or Ya ! as a journalist and comic book author.

The year 2010 marked a turning point in his artistic career began as a leading journal dedicated to urban art and graffiti: Paris Tonkar magazine and regular contributor to International Hip-­‐Hop, Cosmic Hip-­‐Hop, Fatcap magazine and Lectrics. The same year he co-­‐ wrote the script for a pilot for American TV series and began to exhibit his artistic works in Switzerland and in Canada before proposing his artwork and photographic in France!

The comic is not neglected so far: he has written a new series including one devoted to the Rafle of the Vel ‘d’Hiv with Christian Maucler to the drawing scheduled for 2014, another on the Gallic Wars (two tomes planned, the first was presented in preview at Angoulême in 2012 IDBF) and Turcos a story on Indigenous in the trenches, in Tartamudo publishing. The album was nominated for the Tournesol prize and Tarek presented his documentary Turcos le making-­‐off, during the FIBD at Angoulême, France.

Tarek has also published a comic book with Seb Cazes to the drawing published by the Pan waffles entitled Le Concierge. The reception of the public and the press was unanimous in welcoming the audacity and the quality of this story. At the same time, he has exhibited in France in new galleries, participated in auctions in Lyon and Paris at Artcurial … The gallery Philippe Gelot in Paris represents him in France and supports his work . He participates in many events of urban art in France and Greece. His collages are visible all over the world!

Since September 2013, the galerie 203 is located in Montreal reprents him in Canada and the United States … On the comics book, this year also marks a new phase because his albums will be available in English and distributed by Diamonds in the United States and Canada.

Collections

My paintings and volumes have integrated collections of many art lovers worldwide.

• Afrique : Tunisie, Maroc • Asie : Japon • Amérique : USA, Canada • Europe : France, Belgique, Suisse

Exhibitions

Painting [solo]

 L’art et la nature / Bourges, 2013  Viltaïs / Moulins, 2013  L’Aménagerie / Moulins, 2013  Galerie Collectie / Paris, 2013  Atelier 17 / Moulins, 2013  Galerie de l’escalier / Rennes, 2012  Médiathèque / Ploërmel, 2012  Librairie Envie de lire / Ivry, 2012  Galerie Juxtapoz / Marseille, 2012  Galerie Philippe Gelot / Paris, 2012  Galerie éphémère / Paris, 2012  MBA institute / Paris, 1993

Painting [Group]

 Galerie 203 / Montréal, 2013  Next door gallery / Genève, 2013  Maison de l’Europe / Nantes, 2013  "Semaine du dessin" Galerie Philippe Gelot / Paris, 2013  Institut des Beaux-­‐Arts / Athènes, 2013  "ArtyBike" vente aux enchères à Artcurial / Paris, 2013  "Influences africaines" à la Bab’s galerie / Bagnolet, 2013  « Urban stories » aux Mains d’œuvres / Saint-­‐Ouen, 2013  « Tanja, street art » / Tanger, 2013  Galerie 35 / Prague, 2013  Galerie Ophite / Paris, 2013  Musée des Beaux-­‐Arts / Lyon, 2013  Galerie Collectie / Paris, 2013  Galerie d’art / Gap, 2013  Galerie Philippe Gelot / Paris, 2012  Vente aux enchères Venus III / Lyon, 2012  Show room Tartamudo / Paris, 2012  Galerie Ligne 13 / Paris, 2012  Le Stendhal / Paris, 2012  Galerie The Square / Genève, 2012  Galerie Spacejunk / Lyon, 2012  Galerie Napoléon / Paris, 2012

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Mairie du IIIe / Paris, 2012 L’Aménagerie / Moulins, 2012 Galerie Bleus et originaux / Lyon, 2012 4bis / Rennes, 2012 Espace Harteloire / Brest, 2011 Galerie Bleus et originaux / Lyon, 2011 L’Aménagerie / Moulins, 2011 Eighty One / Lyon, 2011 Médiathèque / Malakoff, 2002 Médiathèque / Malakoff, 2001

Le 59 / Paris, 2012 Galerie Bear / Uzès, 2012 Belle air / Marseille, 2012 Festival des cultures urbaines / Paris, 2012 Festival Extramur’O / Fontenay-­‐sur-­‐ Loing, 2012 Galerie Artkraft / Paris, 2012 Espace Reine de Saba / Paris, 2012 Hôtel de ville / Le Relecq Kehruon, 2012 Urbi art / Issy les Moulineaux, 2012 Tag my Giant Bag / Paris, 2012 La Gallery / Montréal, 2011 Vente aux enchères Venus II / Villeurbanne, 2011 Galerie Spacejunk / Lyon, 2011 Galerie Napoléon / Paris, 2011 Galerie 770 / Paris, 2011 et 2012 Galerie La Bohème / Deauville, 2011 Tag my Bag with Eastpak / 2011 Art360 / Rennes, 2011 La Gallery / Montréal, 2010 La Gallery / Paris, 2010 Galerie Spacejunk / Lyon, 2010 Café Dune / Paris, 2010 Espace Chapon, Paris Graffiti : 15 peintres / Paris, 1992

Urban art [performance]              

Rue stick #5 / Puteaux, 2013 Rue stick sauvage #5 / Paris, 2013 Festival Street art / Athènes, 2013 "Cubik painting", Galerie Collectie / Paris, 2013 Collage Rue de Verneuil / Paris, 2012 Collage "Égalité des droits" / Paris, 2012 Mur "Rêve et Utopie" / Brest, 2012 Décoration du Lycée Rodin / Paris, 2012 Street art without borders / Worldwide since 2012 Live Body painting, Art360 / Rennes, 2011 Mur de la MJC / Issy-­‐les-­‐Moulineaux, 1992 Devanture d’une librairie / Paris, 1991 Mur de la cité Pierre Valette / Malakoff, 1991 Mur de la MJC Guy Mocquet / Malakoff, 1991

Photographie

 Maison de l’Europe / Nantes, 2013  Institut français / Prague, 2013  MeetFactory / Prague, 2013  La Sorbonne / Paris, 2013  Hip Hop art mature / Issy-­‐les-­‐ Moulineaux, 2012  Chez Auguste / Paris, 2011  Eighty One / Lyon, 2011  Café Dune / Paris, 2010

Comic book [Group]

 Journées du patrimoine / Niederbronn-­‐les-­‐ Bains, 2012  Salon Gaulgauda / Nice, 2012  Salon Archéo’ culte / Bavay, 2012  Médiathèque de l’UFR langues université Rennes 2 / Rennes, 2012  Viltaïs / Moulins, 2012  Galerie Bleus et originaux / Lyon, 2012  Médiathèque / Varennes, 2011  Palais de Jacques Cœur / Bourges, 2010  Halles / Sens, 2010  Médiathèque / Beauvais, 2010  Espace Harteloire / Brest, 2009  Musée de la vie wallonne / Liège, 2009  Médiathèque de Moulins / Moulins, 2009  Conseil général du Haut-­‐Rhin / Mulhouse, 2009

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Galerie Starkart / Zürich, 2010 Centre culturel syrien / Paris, 2002 Espace Ubu / Laval, 1998 Centre culturel français de Damas / Syrie, 1997 École des Beaux-­‐arts de Lattaquié / Syrie, 1995 Espace Chapon, Paris Graffiti : 15 peintres / Paris, 1992

Galerie des Arts Graphiques / Paris, 2009 Médiathèque / Lorient, 2008 La tour Bidoine / Saint Malo, 2008 Mémorial de Caen / Caen, 2008 Salon du livre de Paris / Paris, 2007 Les champs libres / Rennes, 2007 Voyages en bandes dessinées en gare Montparnasse / Paris, 2006 Voyages en bandes dessinées en gare Saint-­‐ Lazare / Paris, 2006 Médiathèque de Bilière / Pau, 2006 Église des Jésuites / Alençon, 2006 Salon du livre jeunesse de Montreuil / Montreuil, 2006 Synagogue de Strasbourg / Strasbourg, 2005

Publications                  

Paris Tonkar, 4 ans de graffiti (1987-­‐1991), Florent Massot éditions, 1991 Paris Characters, wild war, 2004 Le scénario de bande dessinée, L’iconograf éditions, 2005 A. Poulet-­‐Malassis et C. Baudelaire, 150 d’éditions des Fleurs du mal, Ville d’Alençon éditeur, 2007 Catalogue exposition Venus Project à Lyon, Galerie Spacejunk, 2010 Paris city graffiti, Da Real, 2011 Descente interdite, Alternatives, 2011 Photograffities d’expression Murales (vol. 1), Collectif des 12 singes, 2011 Graffiti, une histoire en images, Eyrolles, 201 Catalogue exposition Venus II, Galerie Spacejunk à Lyon, 2011 Paris pochoirs, Alternatives, 2012 Catalogue exposition Venus III, Galerie Spacejunk à Lyon, 2012 L’art urbain, du graffiti au street art, Gallimard (coll. la découverte), 2012 Catalogue exposition Métissages, Musée des Beaux-­‐Arts de Lyon, 2013 Street art, mode d’emploi, Flammarion, 2013 Périphérique, Terre promise, h’Artpon éditions, 2013 Crimes of minds, Critères éditions, 2013 Certifié(e)s Hip Hop, éditions de la Reinette, 2013

Documentairies    

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Smells like Hip Hop, Silex film, 2012 Turcos, making-­‐off, Pegasus and Co, 2012 Writers, 20 ans de graffiti, Résistance films, 2004 Graffiti à Paris, Zaec, 1992

TV

Reportage à Télématin sur Sir Arthur Benton, mars 2008, France 2 Station Colombia, mars 2012, TV Rennes 35 Un monde de bulles, juin 2012, chaîne LCP Reportage « Saint-­‐Malo, l’héroine de BD », octobre 2012, France 3 Bretagne La vraie histoire, juillet 2012, M6

Bibliographie Comic book for adult    

La guerre des Gaules / tome 2 / Tartamudo (à paraître) Le Concierge / Le Moule-­‐à-­‐gaufres Le Malouin / Tartamudo La guerre des Gaules / tome 1 / Tartamudo / traduit en Anglais

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Turcos / 1 tome / Tartamudo Sir Arthur Benton cycle I / 3 tomes / EP / traduit en Suédois et en Flamand Sir Arthur Benton cycle I / intégrale / EP / traduit en Flamand Sir Arthur Benton cycle II / 3 tomes / EP Sir Arthur Benton cycle II / intégrale / EP Le Tsar fou / 3 tomes / EP Tengiz / 3 tomes / EP / traduit en Turc Raspoutine / 3 tomes / EP Lawrence d’Arabie / 2 tomes / EP Ubupolis / EP Baybars / EP Œil brun, œil bleu / EP Baudelaire ou le roman rêvé d’E.A. Poe / Mosquito Les cavaliers de l’Apocalypse / Théloma Les cavaliers de l’Apocalypse / Tirage en noir et blanc / Théloma Le prophète de Tadmor / 2 tomes / Vents d’Ouest Schizophrénie sanglante / Pointe Noire La boîte de Pandore / Soleil

Comic book for children                  

Circus / 1 tome / Idées+ Le roi des singes / Soleil Les trois petits cochons / EP Les sept nains et demi / EP Monsieur Lune / 1ère édition chez Soleil kids / EP / traduit en Breton Rufus le loup et le chaperon rouge / 1ère édition chez Soleil kids / EP / traduit en Breton Le petit Mamadou Poucet / EP Le grimoire de la forêt des contes imaginaires / EP La véritable histoire du Chat Botté / EP Le petit bûcheron / 1ère édition chez Soleil kids / EP Trois petites histoire(s) de monstres / EP / traduit en Breton Supernain / EP Les chaussettes trouées / 3 tomes / EP Les Poussins de l’espace / 2 tomes / EP Chamouraï / 2 tomes / Pointe Noire Le Professeur Stigmatus / Pointe Noire / traduit en Breton Cyrill et les ombres du bois cendré / Soleil

Comic book projects with children  Nos rêves en bulles / La ville aux livres (bande dessinée réalisée par des jeunes de Creil lors d’ateliers menés conjointement par Batist et moi-­‐même en 2007)  Résidence d’écrivain / CCL

Art book  Paris Tonkar / Florent Massot éditions

Comic book for institutional organizations Hajimé / Ludendo + FFK La parité homme-­‐femme / Mutualité française Solidaribulles n°10 / Secours Populaire Français

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Press             

Paris Tonkar magazine / SCCT International Hip-­‐Hop / SCCT Seizh, l’actualité de la Bretagne Cosmic Hip Hop Fatcap magazine Lectrics Planète BD / Hachette Bedeka / Posse press Revue 1 TOX / Florent Massot éditions Meuriad / Publications de plusieurs histoires en langue bretonne Ya ! / Publications de plusieurs histoires en langue bretonne Dogan Kardes / Tengiz en turc / Turquie Manga kids + / Tengiz en noir et blanc

Contact   

Website : www.tarek-­‐bd.fr Email : elzar58@hotmail.com Cellphone : +33 (0)6 72 12 37 94