Rachid Koraïchi

Attar is one of 99 black cotton appliqué banners from the series Les Maîtres Invisibles (The invisible masters), which pays tribute to 14 Sufi masters. This textile is a visual ode to the Persian poet and mystic Farid al-Din ‘Attar (ca. 1145-1221). Koraïchi incorporates both real and imaginary signs into the fabric, drawing from Islamic texts, North African languages, talismanic symbols, and numerous calligraphic traditions. Each element of his visual language is like a note within a musical score – a sacred hymn and visual harmony at once.

Rachid Koraïchi was born in Ain Beida, Algeria, in 1947. He lives and works in Paris. He studied at the École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts in both Algiers and Paris. He has participated in many international exhibitions, and his work is included in major private and public collections such as the British Museum (London), the Smithsonian Institution (Washington, D.C.), and the Guggenheim Museum (Abu Dhabi).