TED2015
eL Seed: Street art with a message of hope and peace
eL Seed: Kaleko artea itxaropen eta bake mezuarekin
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Frantzian jaioa eta Tunisiako gurasoak izanda, eL Seedek hainbat kultura, hizkuntza eta identitaterekin malabarismoak egiten gozatzen du. Are gehiago bere artelanetan, arabiar poesia kaleko artearen eta graffitien estiloarekin nahasiz. Hitzaldi sutsu honetan, TEDeko kide den artistak bere gura nagusia deskribatzen du: hain ederra den artea sortzea, non ez duen itzulpenik behar.
eL Seed - Artist
French-Tunisian artist eL Seed blends the historic art of Arabic calligraphy with graffti to portray messages of beauty, poetry and peace across all continents. Full bio
French-Tunisian artist eL Seed blends the historic art of Arabic calligraphy with graffti to portray messages of beauty, poetry and peace across all continents. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
In 2012, when I painted
the minaret of Jara Mosque
the minaret of Jara Mosque
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2012an, Jara mezkitako minaretea
margotu nuenean
margotu nuenean
00:17
in my hometown of Gabés,
in the south of Tunisia,
in the south of Tunisia,
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nire Gabés herrian,
Tunisia hegoaldean,
Tunisia hegoaldean,
00:19
I never thought that graffiti would bring
so much attention to a city.
so much attention to a city.
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ez nuen inolaz ere uste graffitiak
horren arreta handia eman ahal zionik hiri bati.
horren arreta handia eman ahal zionik hiri bati.
00:25
At the beginning, I was just looking
for a wall in my hometown,
for a wall in my hometown,
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Hasieran, herriko pareta bat bilatzen
ari nintzen besterik gabe
ari nintzen besterik gabe
00:29
and it happened that the minaret
was built in '94.
was built in '94.
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eta kontua da minaretea 1994an eraiki zela.
00:33
And for 18 years, those 57 meters
of concrete stayed grey.
of concrete stayed grey.
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18 urtez 57 metroko hormigoi zati hori
grisa izan zen.
grisa izan zen.
00:38
When I met the imam for the first time,
and I told him what I wanted to do,
and I told him what I wanted to do,
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Imama lehen aldiz ezagutu nuenean
eta nire asmoa azaldu nionean,
eta nire asmoa azaldu nionean,
00:42
he was like, "Thank God you finally came,"
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bere erreakzioa hau izan zen:
«Eskerrak azkenean etorri zaren»
«Eskerrak azkenean etorri zaren»
Urteak zeramatzan
paretan zerbait egingo zuen norbaiten zain.
paretan zerbait egingo zuen norbaiten zain.
00:44
and he told me that for years
he was waiting for somebody
he was waiting for somebody
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00:47
to do something on it.
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00:49
The most amazing thing about this imam
is that he didn't ask me anything --
is that he didn't ask me anything --
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Imamaren alderik harrigarriena zera zen,
ez zidala deus eskatu --
ez zidala deus eskatu --
00:53
neither a sketch,
or what I was going to write.
or what I was going to write.
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ez zirriborrorik,
ez zer idazteko asmoa nuen ere.
ez zer idazteko asmoa nuen ere.
00:57
In every work that I create,
I write messages
I write messages
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Sortzen ditudan lan guztietan,
mezuak idazten ditut
mezuak idazten ditut
01:00
with my style of calligraffiti --
a mix of calligraphy and graffiti.
a mix of calligraphy and graffiti.
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nire kaligraffiti estiloarekin --
kaligrafia eta graffitiaren arteko nahasketa.
kaligrafia eta graffitiaren arteko nahasketa.
01:05
I use quotes or poetry.
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Zitak edo poesia erabiltzen ditut.
01:08
For the minaret, I thought that
the most relevant message
the most relevant message
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Minaretearen kasuan,
mezkita batean jartzeko mezurik egokiena
mezkita batean jartzeko mezurik egokiena
01:10
to be put on a mosque
should come from the Quran,
should come from the Quran,
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Koranekoa izan behar zuela uste nuen
01:13
so I picked this verse:
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ahapaldi hau hartu nuen beraz:
01:15
"Oh humankind, we have created you
from a male and a female,
from a male and a female,
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«Oh gizadia, gizon eta emakumeetatik
sortu zaitugu,
sortu zaitugu,
01:18
and made you people and tribe,
so you may know each other."
so you may know each other."
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eta jendea eta tribua egin dizkizugu,
elkar ezagutu dezazuen».
elkar ezagutu dezazuen».
01:21
It was a universal call for peace,
tolerance, and acceptance
tolerance, and acceptance
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Dei unibertsala zen bakeari,
tolerantziari eta onarpenari
tolerantziari eta onarpenari
01:25
coming from the side that we don't usually
portray in a good way in the media.
portray in a good way in the media.
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komunikabideetan normalean modu txarrean
irudikatzen den eremutik zetorrena.
irudikatzen den eremutik zetorrena.
01:29
I was amazed to see how the local
community reacted to the painting,
community reacted to the painting,
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Harrituta gelditu nintzen
komunitatearen erreakzioa ikustean,
komunitatearen erreakzioa ikustean,
01:33
and how it made them proud to see
the minaret getting so much attention
the minaret getting so much attention
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eta nola sentitzen ziren harro
minaretea jasotzen ari zen atentzioaz
minaretea jasotzen ari zen atentzioaz
01:37
from international press
all around the world.
all around the world.
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munduko prentsan.
01:41
For the imam, it was not
just the painting;
just the painting;
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Imamaren ustez, ez zen soilik margolana;
01:43
it was really deeper than that.
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hori baino askoz sakonagoa zen.
01:45
He hoped that this minaret would become
a monument for the city,
a monument for the city,
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Minaretea hiriko monumentu
bihurtuko zelako itxaropena zeukan,
bihurtuko zelako itxaropena zeukan,
01:48
and attract people
to this forgotten place of Tunisia.
to this forgotten place of Tunisia.
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eta jendea erakarriko zuelakoa
Tunisiako toki ahaztu hartara.
Tunisiako toki ahaztu hartara.
01:52
The universality of the message,
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Mezuaren unibertsaltasuna,
01:54
the political context
of Tunisia at this time,
of Tunisia at this time,
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garaiko Tunisiako testuinguru politikoa,
01:57
and the fact that I was writing
Quran in a graffiti way
Quran in a graffiti way
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eta Korana graffiti moduan idatzi izana
02:00
were not insignificant.
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ez ziren gauza hutsalak.
02:02
It reunited the community.
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Komunitatea berriro elkartu zuten.
02:05
Bringing people, future generations,
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Jendea, etorkizuneko belaunaldiak, batu
02:08
together through Arabic calligraphy
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kaligrafia arabiarraren bidez;
02:11
is what I do.
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hori da egiten dudana.
02:13
Writing messages is
the essence of my artwork.
the essence of my artwork.
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Mezuak idaztea da nire artearen funtsa.
02:16
What is funny, actually, is that
even Arabic-speaking people
even Arabic-speaking people
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Barregarria dena, berez, zera da,
arabiar hiztunak ere
arabiar hiztunak ere
02:20
really need to focus a lot
to decipher what I'm writing.
to decipher what I'm writing.
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asko kontzentratu behar direla
idazten dudana deszifratzeko.
idazten dudana deszifratzeko.
02:24
You don't need to know
the meaning to feel the piece.
the meaning to feel the piece.
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Ez duzu esanahia jakin behar
pieza sentitzeko.
pieza sentitzeko.
02:28
I think that Arabic script touches
your soul before it reaches your eyes.
your soul before it reaches your eyes.
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Uste dut idazkera arabiarrak arima ukitzen duela
begietara iritsi aurretik.
begietara iritsi aurretik.
02:31
There is a beauty in it
that you don't need to translate.
that you don't need to translate.
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Itzuli behar ez den edertasuna dauka.
02:35
Arabic script speaks to anyone, I believe;
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Idazkera arabiarra edonori mintzatzen zaiolakoan nago;
02:37
to you, to you, to you, to anybody,
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zuri, zuri, zuri, edonori,
02:41
and then when you get the meaning,
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eta esanahia harrapatzen duzuenan,
02:43
you feel connected to it.
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horri konektatuta sentitzen zara.
02:45
I always make sure to write messages
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Beti ziurtatzen dut idazten ditudan mezuak
02:47
that are relevant to the place
where I'm painting,
where I'm painting,
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margotzen ari naizen tokiarentzat
egokiak direla,
egokiak direla,
02:50
but messages that have
a universal dimension,
a universal dimension,
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baita dimentsio unibertsala
daukaten mezuak izatea
daukaten mezuak izatea
02:53
so anybody around the world
can connect to it.
can connect to it.
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edonor konektatu ahal izateko.
02:56
I was born and raised in France, in Paris,
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Frantzian, Parisen jaio eta hazi nintzen
02:59
and I started learning how to write
and read Arabic when I was 18.
and read Arabic when I was 18.
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eta arabieraz idazten eta irakurtzen
ikasten hasi nintzen 18 urterekin.
ikasten hasi nintzen 18 urterekin.
03:03
Today I only write messages in Arabic.
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Orain arabieraz soilik idazten ditut mezuak.
03:07
One of the reasons
this is so important to me,
this is so important to me,
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Hori oso garrantzitsua da niretzat,
eta, arrazoietako bat
eta, arrazoietako bat
03:10
is because of all the reaction that
I've experienced all around the world.
I've experienced all around the world.
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munduan zehar bizi izan ditudan erreakzioak dira.
03:15
In Rio de Janeiro, I translated
this Portuguese poem
this Portuguese poem
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Rio de Janeiron, poema portugaldar hau itzuli nuen
03:19
from Gabriela Tôrres Barbosa,
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Gabriela Tôrres Barbosak
03:21
who was giving an homage
to the poor people of the favela,
to the poor people of the favela,
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faveletako behartsuen omenez idatzi zuena,
03:24
and then I painted it on the rooftop.
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eta, gero, zabaltzan margotu nuen.
03:27
The local community were really
intrigued by what I was doing,
intrigued by what I was doing,
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Komunitateak jakinmina zeukan nire lanaz,
03:30
but as soon as I gave them
the meaning of the calligraphy,
the meaning of the calligraphy,
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baina kaligrafiaren esanahia
azaldu bezain pronto,
azaldu bezain pronto,
03:33
they thanked me, as they felt
connected to the piece.
connected to the piece.
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eskerrak eman zizkidaten,
piezarekin konektatu balute bezala.
piezarekin konektatu balute bezala.
03:38
In South Africa, in Cape Town,
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Hegoafrikan, Lurmutur Hirian,
03:40
the local community of Philippi
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Philippiko biztanleek
03:43
offered me the only
concrete wall of the slum.
concrete wall of the slum.
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auzo pobreko hormigoi pareta bakarra
eskaini zidaten.
eskaini zidaten.
03:46
It was a school, and I wrote on it
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Eskola bat zen, eta paretan idatzi nuen
03:49
a quote from Nelson Mandela,
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Nelson Mandelaren zita bat,
03:50
saying, "[in Arabic],"
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zera zioena, «[arabieraz]»,
03:53
which means, "It seems
impossible until it's done."
impossible until it's done."
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«Ezinezkoa dirudi, egiten den arte».
03:56
Then this guy came to me and said,
"Man, why you don't write in English?"
"Man, why you don't write in English?"
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Orduan, gizon bat hurbildu zitzaidan galdtuz
«Aizu, zergatik ez duzu ingelesez idatzi?»
«Aizu, zergatik ez duzu ingelesez idatzi?»
04:00
and I replied to him, "I would consider
your concern legit if you asked me
your concern legit if you asked me
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eta nire erantzuna,
«Zure kezka legezkoa irudituko litzaidake
«Zure kezka legezkoa irudituko litzaidake
04:04
why I didn't write in Zulu."
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zergatik ez dudan zulueraz idatzi
galdetuko bazenit».
galdetuko bazenit».
04:06
In Paris, once, there was this event,
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Parisen, behin, ekitaldi batean,
04:09
and someone gave his wall to be painted.
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pareta bat utzi zidan norbaitek margotzeko.
04:14
And when he saw I was painting in Arabic,
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Eta arabieraz margotzen ari nintzela
ikusi zuenean,
ikusi zuenean,
04:16
he got so mad -- actually, hysterical --
and he asked for the wall to be erased.
and he asked for the wall to be erased.
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erotu egin zen -- histeriko jarri zen --
eta pareta garbitzeko eskatu zidan.
eta pareta garbitzeko eskatu zidan.
04:20
I was mad and disappointed.
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Oso haserre eta etsita nengoen.
04:22
But a week later, the organizer
of the event asked me to come back,
of the event asked me to come back,
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Baina aste bat geroago, ekitaldiaren antolatzaileak
bueltatzeko eskatu zidan,
bueltatzeko eskatu zidan,
04:26
and he told me that there was a wall
right in front of this guy's house.
right in front of this guy's house.
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eta tipoaren etxearen parean
beste pareta bat zegoela esan zidan.
beste pareta bat zegoela esan zidan.
04:30
So, this guy --
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Hortaz, tipoa --
04:31
(Laughter)
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(Barreak)
04:33
like, was forced to see it every day.
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egunero ikustera behartuta zegoen.
04:35
At the beginning, I was going
to write, "[In Arabic],"
to write, "[In Arabic],"
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Hasieran, «[arabieraz]»
idaztekotan egon nintzen;
idaztekotan egon nintzen;
04:38
which means, "In your face," but --
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«Hire muturrean», baina --
04:40
(Laughter)
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(Barreak)
04:42
I decided to be smarter
and I wrote, "[In Arabic],"
and I wrote, "[In Arabic],"
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Azkarragoa izatea erabaki nuen
eta «[arabieraz]» idatzi nuen;
eta «[arabieraz]» idatzi nuen;
04:46
which means, "Open your heart."
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«Ireki bihotza».
04:49
I'm really proud of my culture,
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Izugarri harro nago nire kulturaz,
04:52
and I'm trying to be an ambassador
of it through my artwork.
of it through my artwork.
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eta horren enbaxadore izaten saiatzen naiz
nire artearen bidez.
nire artearen bidez.
04:57
And I hope that I can break
the stereotypes we all know,
the stereotypes we all know,
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Eta espero dut guztiok ezagutzen ditugun estereotipoak
hausteko gai izatea,
hausteko gai izatea,
05:02
with the beauty of Arabic script.
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idazkera arabiarraren edertasunaz.
05:05
Today, I don't write the translation
of the message anymore on the wall.
of the message anymore on the wall.
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Gaur egun, ez dut mezuaren itzulpena
idazten paretan.
idazten paretan.
05:11
I don't want the poetry
of the calligraphy to be broken,
of the calligraphy to be broken,
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Ez dut kaligrafiaren poesia hautsi nahi,
05:14
as it's art and you can appreciate it
without knowing the meaning,
without knowing the meaning,
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artea denez eta esanahia jakin gabe
antzeman daitekeenez gero,
antzeman daitekeenez gero,
05:18
as you can enjoy any music
from other countries.
from other countries.
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beste herrialdeetako musikaz
gozatu dezakezun heinean.
gozatu dezakezun heinean.
05:21
Some people see that
as a rejection or a closed door,
as a rejection or a closed door,
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Batzuek errefusatze
edo ate itxi bat bezala ikusten dute,
edo ate itxi bat bezala ikusten dute,
05:25
but for me, it's more an invitation --
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baina nire ustez, gonbidapena da --
05:27
to my language,
to my culture, and to my art.
to my culture, and to my art.
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nire hizkuntzara, nire kulturara
eta nire artera.
eta nire artera.
05:31
Thank you.
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Eskerrik asko.
05:32
(Applause)
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(Txaloak)
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
eL Seed - ArtistFrench-Tunisian artist eL Seed blends the historic art of Arabic calligraphy with graffti to portray messages of beauty, poetry and peace across all continents.
Why you should listen
Born in Paris to Tunisian parents, eL Seed travels the world, making art in Paris, New York, Jeddah, Melbourne, Gabes, Doha and beyond. His goal: to create dialogue and promote tolerance as well as change global perceptions of what Arabic means. In 2012, for instance, he painted a message of unity on a 47-meter-high minaret on the Jara mosque in Gabes, Tunisia. This piece and others can be found in his book, Lost Walls: Graffiti Road Trip through Tunisia
Most recently he created a sprawling mural in the Manshiyat Naser neighborhood of Cairo that spans 50 buildings and can only be viewed from a local mountaintop. Intending to honor the historic garbage collectors of the Manshiyat Naser neighborhood, the piece reads, "Anyone who wants to see the sunlight clearly needs to wipe his eye first."
eL Seed | Speaker | TED.com