TED2015
eL Seed: Street art with a message of hope and peace
eL Seed: Lar lari avek enn mesaz lespwar ek lape
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eL Seed so bann paran tinizien ek li finn grandi Lafrans. Alor, li kontan zongle diferan kiltir, langaz ek lidantite, sirtou dan so travay artistik kot li ekrir kaligrafi arab avek enn stil inspire par lar lari ek grafiti. Dan sa kozri la, artist ek TED Fellow eL Seed explik so gran lanbision: kre enn lar telman zoli ki li pa bizin tradiksion.
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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An 2012 kan monn penn
lor minare moske Jara
lor minare moske Jara
00:17
in my hometown of Gabés,
in the south of Tunisia,
in the south of Tunisia,
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dan mo lavil natal
Gabés dan lesid Tinizi,
Gabés dan lesid Tinizi,
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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zame mo ti panse ki grafiti kapav
amenn otan latansion a enn lavil.
amenn otan latansion a enn lavil.
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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Pou koumanse, mo ti pe zis
rod enn miray dan lavil la,
rod enn miray dan lavil la,
00:29
and it happened that the minaret
was built in '94.
was built in '94.
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ek sa minare la ti konstrir an 1994.
00:33
And for 18 years, those 57 meters
of concrete stayed grey.
of concrete stayed grey.
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Ek pandan 18 an, sa kolonn
57m la finn res gri.
57m la finn res gri.
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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Kan monn zwenn imam la premie fwa
ek monn dir li ki mo anvi fer,
ek monn dir li ki mo anvi fer,
00:42
he was like, "Thank God you finally came,"
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linn dir mwa, "Mo remersie
bondie ki tonn vini".
bondie ki tonn vini".
00:44
and he told me that for years
he was waiting for somebody
he was waiting for somebody
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Ek linn explik mwa depi komie
banane li ti pe atann kikenn
banane li ti pe atann kikenn
00:47
to do something on it.
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pu fer kitsoz avek sa.
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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Saki pli etonan avek sa misie la
se ki li pann dimann mwa nanye --
se ki li pann dimann mwa nanye --
00:53
neither a sketch,
or what I was going to write.
or what I was going to write.
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ni ki desin ni ki mesaz mo pu ekrir.
00:57
In every work that I create,
I write messages
I write messages
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Dan tou travay ki mo kre,
mo ekrir bann mesaz
mo ekrir bann mesaz
01:00
with my style of calligraffiti --
a mix of calligraphy and graffiti.
a mix of calligraphy and graffiti.
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avek mo prop stil kaligrafiti --
enn melanz kaligrafi ek grafiti.
enn melanz kaligrafi ek grafiti.
01:05
I use quotes or poetry.
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Mo servi bann sitasion ou bann poem.
01:08
For the minaret, I thought that
the most relevant message
the most relevant message
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Pou sa minare la, monn
panse ki mesaz pli pertinan
panse ki mesaz pli pertinan
01:10
to be put on a mosque
should come from the Quran,
should come from the Quran,
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pu met lor enn moske
bizin enn verse depi Koran,
bizin enn verse depi Koran,
01:13
so I picked this verse:
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alor monn swazir sann la:
01:15
"Oh humankind, we have created you
from a male and a female,
from a male and a female,
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"O limanite, nou finn kre zot
depi enn mal ek enn femel,
depi enn mal ek enn femel,
01:18
and made you people and tribe,
so you may know each other."
so you may know each other."
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ek nou finn fer zot enn lepep ek enn
tribi pou zot konn zot kamarad."
tribi pou zot konn zot kamarad."
01:21
It was a universal call for peace,
tolerance, and acceptance
tolerance, and acceptance
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Ti enn mesaz iniversel pou
lape, tolerans ek linklizion,
lape, tolerans ek linklizion,
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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enn mesaz ki montre kote positif
de Islam ki nou pa trouve dan media.
de Islam ki nou pa trouve dan media.
01:29
I was amazed to see how the local
community reacted to the painting,
community reacted to the painting,
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Monn etone kouma kominote
lokal inn reazir a sa lapintir la,
lokal inn reazir a sa lapintir la,
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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kouma sa inn fer zot fier ki sa
minare la pe gagn otan latansion
minare la pe gagn otan latansion
01:37
from international press
all around the world.
all around the world.
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depi lapres internasional
partou dan lemond.
partou dan lemond.
01:41
For the imam, it was not
just the painting;
just the painting;
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Pou imam la, pa ti zis enn lapintir sa:
01:43
it was really deeper than that.
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ti enn zafer pli profon.
01:45
He hoped that this minaret would become
a monument for the city,
a monument for the city,
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Li ti pe espere ki minare la pou
vinn enn moniman dan lavil
vinn enn moniman dan lavil
01:48
and attract people
to this forgotten place of Tunisia.
to this forgotten place of Tunisia.
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ek atir viziter a sa landrwa
ki dimounn finn blie dan Tinizi.
ki dimounn finn blie dan Tinizi.
01:52
The universality of the message,
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Lefet ki sa mesaz la iniversel,
01:54
the political context
of Tunisia at this time,
of Tunisia at this time,
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kontex politik dan Tinizi sa lepok la
01:57
and the fact that I was writing
Quran in a graffiti way
Quran in a graffiti way
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ek lefet ki mo ti pe ekrir
Koran dan enn stil grafiti
Koran dan enn stil grafiti
02:00
were not insignificant.
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finn ena boukou pwa.
02:02
It reunited the community.
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Sa finn rasanble kominote.
02:05
Bringing people, future generations,
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Fer dimounn, bann zenerasion fitir,
02:08
together through Arabic calligraphy
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vinn ansam atraver kaligrafi arab,
02:11
is what I do.
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samem mo travay.
02:13
Writing messages is
the essence of my artwork.
the essence of my artwork.
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Ekrir bann mesaz, samem
lesans mo travay artistik.
lesans mo travay artistik.
02:16
What is funny, actually, is that
even Arabic-speaking people
even Arabic-speaking people
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Saki komik se ki mem bann
dimounn ki konn lir arab
dimounn ki konn lir arab
02:20
really need to focus a lot
to decipher what I'm writing.
to decipher what I'm writing.
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bizin konsantre boukou pou
kapav desifre saki monn ekrir.
kapav desifre saki monn ekrir.
02:24
You don't need to know
the meaning to feel the piece.
the meaning to feel the piece.
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Ou pa oblize konpran sinifikasion
pou apresie travay la.
pou apresie travay la.
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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Mo panse ki lekritir arab tous
ou lam avan li tous ou lizie.
ou lam avan li tous ou lizie.
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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Ena enn bote ladan
ki ou pa bizin tradir.
ki ou pa bizin tradir.
02:35
Arabic script speaks to anyone, I believe;
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Ninport kisannla kapav
apresie lekritir arab:
apresie lekritir arab:
02:37
to you, to you, to you, to anybody,
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ou, ou, ou, ninport kisannla.
02:41
and then when you get the meaning,
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Ek kan ou konpran sinifikasion la,
02:43
you feel connected to it.
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ou santi ou plis konekte ankor.
02:45
I always make sure to write messages
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Mo fer atansion ki mo ekrir bann mesaz
02:47
that are relevant to the place
where I'm painting,
where I'm painting,
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ki ena enn sinifikasion
pu landrwa kot pe penn,
pu landrwa kot pe penn,
02:50
but messages that have
a universal dimension,
a universal dimension,
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me sa bann mesaz la bizin osi
ena enn dimansion iniversel,
ena enn dimansion iniversel,
02:53
so anybody around the world
can connect to it.
can connect to it.
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pou ki ninport kisannla kapav
santi enn koneksion ek li.
santi enn koneksion ek li.
02:56
I was born and raised in France, in Paris,
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Mon finn ne ek grandi Lafrans, a Paris,
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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ek monn aprann lir ek ekrir arab
selman kan mo ti ena 18 an.
selman kan mo ti ena 18 an.
03:03
Today I only write messages in Arabic.
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Zordi mo ekrir bann mesaz nek an arab.
03:07
One of the reasons
this is so important to me,
this is so important to me,
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Enn de bann rezon kifer
sa inportan pou mwa
sa inportan pou mwa
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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se akoz sa bann reaksion ki monn
gagne partou depi dan lemond.
gagne partou depi dan lemond.
03:15
In Rio de Janeiro, I translated
this Portuguese poem
this Portuguese poem
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Dan Rio de Janeiro, monn
tradir enn poem depi portige
tradir enn poem depi portige
03:19
from Gabriela Tôrres Barbosa,
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par Gabriela Tôrres Barbosa
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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ki rann omaz a bann
dimounn mizer dan favela,
dimounn mizer dan favela,
03:24
and then I painted it on the rooftop.
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ek monn penn sa lor bann twa lakaz.
03:27
The local community were really
intrigued by what I was doing,
intrigued by what I was doing,
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Kominote lokal ti bien intrige
par saki mo ti pe fer,
par saki mo ti pe fer,
03:30
but as soon as I gave them
the meaning of the calligraphy,
the meaning of the calligraphy,
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me kouma monn dir zot
sinifikasion kaligrafi la,
sinifikasion kaligrafi la,
03:33
they thanked me, as they felt
connected to the piece.
connected to the piece.
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zot remersie mwa akoz zot
inn santi zot konekte ar poem la.
inn santi zot konekte ar poem la.
03:38
In South Africa, in Cape Town,
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An Afrik Disid, dan Cape Town,
03:40
the local community of Philippi
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kominote lokal de Philippi
03:43
offered me the only
concrete wall of the slum.
concrete wall of the slum.
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inn donn mwa sel miray
beton ki existe dan sa site la.
beton ki existe dan sa site la.
03:46
It was a school, and I wrote on it
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Sete miray enn lekol, ek mo finn ekrir
03:49
a quote from Nelson Mandela,
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enn sitasion Nelson Mandela
03:50
saying, "[in Arabic],"
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ki dir [an arab],
03:53
which means, "It seems
impossible until it's done."
impossible until it's done."
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"Sa paret inposib
ziska ki kikenn fer li."
ziska ki kikenn fer li."
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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Me lerla enn boug vinn dir mwa,
"Sef, kifer ou pa pe ekrir an angle?"
"Sef, kifer ou pa pe ekrir an angle?"
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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Ek monn reponn li, "Ou kestion ti pou
ena kit valer si ou ti dimann mwa
ena kit valer si ou ti dimann mwa
04:04
why I didn't write in Zulu."
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kifer mo pa pe ekrir an Zoulou."
04:06
In Paris, once, there was this event,
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Dan Paris, enn fwa ti ena enn levennman,
04:09
and someone gave his wall to be painted.
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ek kikenn laba inn donn mwa
so miray pou fer grafiti.
so miray pou fer grafiti.
04:14
And when he saw I was painting in Arabic,
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Kan linn trouve ki mo pe ekrir an arab,
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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linn telman araze ki linn
exize ki nou efas tou.
exize ki nou efas tou.
04:20
I was mad and disappointed.
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Mo ti ankoler ek tris.
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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Me enn semenn pli tar, organizater
levennman la dir mwa revini,
levennman la dir mwa revini,
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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ek li dir mwa ki ena enn miray
zis anfas sa boug la so lakaz.
zis anfas sa boug la so lakaz.
04:30
So, this guy --
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Alor sa boug la --
04:31
(Laughter)
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(Riye)
04:33
like, was forced to see it every day.
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aster oblize get sa toulezour.
04:35
At the beginning, I was going
to write, "[In Arabic],"
to write, "[In Arabic],"
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Dabor monn pans pou ekrir ["an arab"],
04:38
which means, "In your face," but --
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ki vedir, "Bien bon pou twa", me --
04:40
(Laughter)
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(Riye)
04:42
I decided to be smarter
and I wrote, "[In Arabic],"
and I wrote, "[In Arabic],"
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monn desid fer pli malin
ek ekrir ["an arab"],
ek ekrir ["an arab"],
04:46
which means, "Open your heart."
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ki vedir "Ouver to leker".
04:49
I'm really proud of my culture,
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Mo bien fier de mo kiltir
04:52
and I'm trying to be an ambassador
of it through my artwork.
of it through my artwork.
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ek mo pe sey vinn enn so bann
lanbasader a traver mo travay artistik.
lanbasader a traver mo travay artistik.
04:57
And I hope that I can break
the stereotypes we all know,
the stereotypes we all know,
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Mo espere ki mo pou kapav kas
bann stereotip ki nou tou kone
bann stereotip ki nou tou kone
05:02
with the beauty of Arabic script.
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avek bote lekritir arab.
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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Zordi mo nepli ekrir tradiksion
bann mesaz la lor miray.
bann mesaz la lor miray.
05:11
I don't want the poetry
of the calligraphy to be broken,
of the calligraphy to be broken,
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Mo pa anvi gat poezi-kaligrafi la.
05:14
as it's art and you can appreciate it
without knowing the meaning,
without knowing the meaning,
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Parski se lar ek ou kapav apresie
li san konn so sinifikasion,
li san konn so sinifikasion,
05:18
as you can enjoy any music
from other countries.
from other countries.
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parey kouma ou kapav
apresie lamizik depi lezot pei.
apresie lamizik depi lezot pei.
05:21
Some people see that
as a rejection or a closed door,
as a rejection or a closed door,
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Ena dimounn ki trouv sa kouma
enn rezeksion ou enn laport ferme,
enn rezeksion ou enn laport ferme,
05:25
but for me, it's more an invitation --
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me pou mwa, se plis
kouma enn linvitasion
kouma enn linvitasion
05:27
to my language,
to my culture, and to my art.
to my culture, and to my art.
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a mo langaz, mo kiltir ek mo lar.
05:31
Thank you.
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Mersi.
05:32
(Applause)
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(Aplodisman)
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