Rachid Ben Ali - Happy Made of the Plane - Acrylic on canvas - 2017

In Happy Made of the Plane from 2017, Rachid Ben Ali creates an intense and layered figurative scene in which human forms almost entirely merge into a tangle of movement, color, and brushstrokes. The painting demands a longer look: multiple figures, faces, and bodies appear amidst the abstract-looking structures, only to subsequently seem to disappear again into the dark background.

The color palette is dominated by deep blue, turquoise, green, purple, and black, interspersed with lighter cream and pink accents. Painting these colors over and through each other creates a strong sense of depth. The composition appears to be constantly in motion and has an almost underwater or dreamlike quality.

Human figures are recognizable in various places. In the upper right, a dark figure with a distinct face stands out, while centrally and on the left, multiple bodies and faces appear to be hidden within the paint structure. As a result, the viewer is constantly sent back and forth between figuration and abstraction.

Ben Ali employs a variety of painting movements: broad brushstrokes, short rhythmic lines, curling lines, and partially erased forms. This gives the work a spontaneous and direct appearance, while upon closer inspection, many small details become visible.

The title “Happy Made of the Plane,” written by the artist on the back, adds an enigmatic layer to the painting. The title leaves room for interpretation and suits the elusive nature of the composition: a world in which reality, memory, and fantasy seem to intertwine.