Ymen Berhouma on her self-taught drawing practice and the Tunisian art scene

Tunis-based artist Ymen Berhouma discusses her drawing practice in an interview with Canvas. After 20 years as a self-taught artist, she finds freedom in her approach, with recent works featuring recurring characters and fantastical scenes that emerge from her interior world. A personal event several years ago prompted a shift to drawing, leading her to create what she considers contemporary art based on the present moment. Her 2023 exhibition 3K900 at A.Gorgi Gallery featured 24 drawings originally intended as a monthly visual diary. Berhouma describes her process as starting with abstract shapes, with animals like snakes appearing unconsciously, referencing the French expression in works such as A moment before the great anger (2024). She rejects limiting categorizations of art by origin, though she identifies as Tunisian and Maghrebi. Berhouma founded the non-profit collective Atelier Ymen in Tunis to support emerging artists, noting collector and gallerist interest. She participates in Investec Cape Town and draws inspiration from Moroccan artists Hassan Hajjaj and Mahi Binebine, finding contemporary art from the Global South more sincere. Future plans include returning to painting and creating an artist book based on her notebooks.