Rachid Ben Ali - Can’t Make It Against Myself - Sold

"Can't Make It Against Myself" is a powerful expressionist portrait by Rachid Ben Ali, an artist known for his raw style, socially engaged visual language, and direct approach to psychological themes. In this work, he returns to his signature energetic brushwork, merging abstraction and portraiture into an emotional outburst on canvas.

The central figure—a man with clean-cut forms, caught in a tangle of white and black brushstrokes—seems swallowed up by his surroundings. The words “Can't Make It Against Myself” are written above his head like an inner scream, partly obscured, partly emphasized by the work's structure. This phrase forms the key to the painting: a confession of internal struggle, powerlessness, and reflection. The background, a layer of wild and impulsive colors, underscores the inner conflict and reinforces the sense of chaos and introspection.

Ben Ali achieves maximum expression with minimal means. His painting technique is raw, direct, and abrasive—the work is not meant to be beautiful, but to move. This painting fits within his oeuvre as a personal, confrontational work that challenges the viewer to reflect on their own struggles, vulnerability, and identity.