Abdelkader Benchamma on Drawing, Cosma Exhibition, and Baroque Inspiration

Artist Abdelkader Benchamma discusses his primary medium of drawing and his upcoming exhibition Cosma at Galerie Templon in Paris. He explains that drawing, with its simplicity of materials like charcoal and ink, offers vast experimental possibilities. His wall drawings are created site-specifically without projection, guided by organic processes and physical exertion. For Cosma, he draws inspiration from the exuberant motifs of Baroque churches, particularly the 17th-century Chiesa del Gesu in Palermo, and Rorschach inkblot symmetry. Benchamma also reveals a recent shift toward incorporating color, influenced by a residency at Palazzo Butera in Palermo with the French Institute, where the color ranges of Italian marble inspired him to subtly blend abstraction and figuration. He continues to explore drawing as a form of writing that supports thought and imagination, bridging science and esotericism.