Dora Dalila Cheffi
Dora Dalila Cheffi (b. 1990, Helsinki) lives and works in Tunis. Her work encompasses painting and sculpture, and more recently, video and installation.
Initially trained in art education, in which she obtained a BA from Aalto University School of Art, Design, and Architecture, where she also studied studied sculpture and painting, her practice developed to encompass a practice that centres on a highly personal approach to painting. Much of Cheffi’s work centres around personal observations and immediate experience, which are translated into works characterised by vivid colours and forms.
Her latest institutional solo exhibition, ‘Prestige,’ occurred in Tunis in May 2022. Her latest show took place at the Cape Town Art Residency in January 2023. Her artwork has been part of group shows with Selma Feriani Gallery and The Other Space by Andersen’s Contemporary, and shown online with Taymour Grahne Projects.
@doradalila
https://www.doradalila.com
ARTWORKS
Tunisian Dance Tutorial with Mamou
video 00:05:06, edition 2/3
2022
The video shows charismatic showman Mamou teaching Tunisian dance moves in the spirit of Åke Blomqvist’s dance school.
In an exploration of marriage and weddings as part of a larger exhibition, Dora Dalila Cheffi puts focus on the notion of dancing as a culturally-significant celebratory movement in the piece “Tunisian Dance Tutorial with Mamou”. Inspired by Åke Blomqvist’s videos teaching disco dance moves, Cheffi — who is of Tunisian-Finnish origin— interrogates the function of dance moves in Tunisian society as a tool that blurs the feminine and masculine. Viewers are encouraged to mimic the movements depicted in the video.
Direction: Dora Dalila CheffiActors: Amen Allah Atrous, Dora Dalila CheffiGraphic Design: Aziza GorgiSound Design: Oussema Menchaoui
Percussionist: Souhayl
Color Correction: Amine Ghaouar
Subtitles: Achraf Battaieb, Amina Kaabi, Otto Helkama
Production: Nour Amrani, Kathrine Li Johnson & KLF
Part of the permanent collection of Kamel Lazaar Foundation
Image Credits:
Artist’s portrait - Patrik Rastenberger
Artwork image - Tunisian Dance Tutorial with Mamou, 2022, video, Dora Dalila Cheffi