TED2015
eL Seed: Street art with a message of hope and peace
eL Seed: Pouličné umenie s posolstvom nádeje a pokoja
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Narodený vo Francúzsku tuniským rodičom, eL Seed spoznal veľa kultúr, jazykov a národov. Začlenil ich do svojich diel, ktoré spájajú štýl arabskej poézie s pouličným umením a grafitmi. V tejto oduševnenej reči tento umelec a TED Fellow popisuje svoj najvyšší cieľ – vytvárať také krásne umenie, že nebude potrebovať preklad.
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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V roku 2012, keď som maľoval
na minaret mešity Jara
na minaret mešity Jara
00:17
in my hometown of Gabés,
in the south of Tunisia,
in the south of Tunisia,
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v mojom rodnom meste Gabés
na juhu Tuniska,
na juhu Tuniska,
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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som si nemyslel, že by mohli grafity
na mesto pritiahnuť toľkú pozornosť.
na mesto pritiahnuť toľkú pozornosť.
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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Na začiatku som iba hľadal
v mojom rodnom meste nejakú stenu
v mojom rodnom meste nejakú stenu
a v deväťdesiatomštvrtom
postavili minaret.
postavili minaret.
00:29
and it happened that the minaret
was built in '94.
was built in '94.
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00:33
And for 18 years, those 57 meters
of concrete stayed grey.
of concrete stayed grey.
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18 rokov bolo 57 metrov betónu sivého.
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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Keď som sa po prvýkrát stretol s imámom
a vysvetlil mu, čo som chcel urobiť,
a vysvetlil mu, čo som chcel urobiť,
00:42
he was like, "Thank God you finally came,"
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zareagoval v zmysle
„Vďaka ti, Bože, konečne.“
„Vďaka ti, Bože, konečne.“
a povedal mi, že roky čakal
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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na niekoho, kto by to urobil.
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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To najlepšie na tomto imámovi bolo,
že sa ma na nič nepýtal,
že sa ma na nič nepýtal,
ani na návrh alebo čo
som plánoval napísať.
som plánoval napísať.
00:53
neither a sketch,
or what I was going to write.
or what I was going to write.
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00:57
In every work that I create,
I write messages
I write messages
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V každom diele niečo napíšem
01:00
with my style of calligraffiti --
a mix of calligraphy and graffiti.
a mix of calligraphy and graffiti.
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štýlom kaligrafity,
kombináciou kaligrafie a grafitov.
kombináciou kaligrafie a grafitov.
01:05
I use quotes or poetry.
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Využívam citáty a poéziu.
01:08
For the minaret, I thought that
the most relevant message
the most relevant message
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Myslel som si, že pre minaret mešity bude
najvhodnejším nápisom citát z Koránu,
01:10
to be put on a mosque
should come from the Quran,
should come from the Quran,
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01:13
so I picked this verse:
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a tak som vybral verš:
01:15
"Oh humankind, we have created you
from a male and a female,
from a male and a female,
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„Och, ľudstvo! Vytvorili sme
vás z muža a ženy
vás z muža a ženy
01:18
and made you people and tribe,
so you may know each other."
so you may know each other."
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a učinili národmi a kmeňmi,
aby ste sa mohli navzájom spoznať.“
aby ste sa mohli navzájom spoznať.“
01:21
It was a universal call for peace,
tolerance, and acceptance
tolerance, and acceptance
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Bolo to všeobecné volanie
po pokoji, tolerancii a prijatí
po pokoji, tolerancii a prijatí
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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zo strany tých, ktorí vo všeobecnosti
nemajú v médiách dobrú povesť.
nemajú v médiách dobrú povesť.
01:29
I was amazed to see how the local
community reacted to the painting,
community reacted to the painting,
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Prekvapilo ma, ako miestne obyvateľstvo
na maľbu zareagovalo
na maľbu zareagovalo
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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a akí boli pyšní, keď videli,
ako ich minaret pútal pozornosť
ako ich minaret pútal pozornosť
tlače po celom svete.
01:37
from international press
all around the world.
all around the world.
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01:41
For the imam, it was not
just the painting;
just the painting;
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Pre imáma to nebola iba
maľba, ale niečo hlbšie.
maľba, ale niečo hlbšie.
01:43
it was really deeper than that.
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01:45
He hoped that this minaret would become
a monument for the city,
a monument for the city,
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Očakával, že sa minaret premení
na mestskú pamiatku a pritiahne
na mestskú pamiatku a pritiahne
01:48
and attract people
to this forgotten place of Tunisia.
to this forgotten place of Tunisia.
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do tohto zabudnutého
kútu Tuniska návštevníkov.
kútu Tuniska návštevníkov.
01:52
The universality of the message,
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Univerzálnosť toho posolstva,
existujúci politický kontext
vtedajšieho Tuniska
vtedajšieho Tuniska
01:54
the political context
of Tunisia at this time,
of Tunisia at this time,
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01:57
and the fact that I was writing
Quran in a graffiti way
Quran in a graffiti way
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a fakt, že som citoval Korán grafitmi,
02:00
were not insignificant.
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upútali pozornosť.
02:02
It reunited the community.
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Spoločnosť spojili.
02:05
Bringing people, future generations,
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Zblížili ľudí s budúcimi generáciami
02:08
together through Arabic calligraphy
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prostredníctvom arabskej kaligrafie,
02:11
is what I do.
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ktorej sa venujem.
Nápisy sú základom mojej ťažkej práce.
02:13
Writing messages is
the essence of my artwork.
the essence of my artwork.
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02:16
What is funny, actually, is that
even Arabic-speaking people
even Arabic-speaking people
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Vtipné je, že arabsky hovoriaci ľudia
02:20
really need to focus a lot
to decipher what I'm writing.
to decipher what I'm writing.
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sa tiež zapotia, kým rozlúštia, čo píšem.
02:24
You don't need to know
the meaning to feel the piece.
the meaning to feel the piece.
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Ale nemusíte rozumieť, čo píšem,
aby ste pocítili pokoj.
aby ste pocítili pokoj.
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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Myslím, že arabské nápisy preniknú
do duše skôr ako do očí.
do duše skôr ako do očí.
Majú vnútornú krásu,
ktorú nie je treba prekladať.
ktorú nie je treba prekladať.
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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02:35
Arabic script speaks to anyone, I believe;
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Myslím, že arabské nápisy
prehovárajú ku každému,
prehovárajú ku každému,
02:37
to you, to you, to you, to anybody,
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k vám, k vám, k vám, ku všetkým
a neskôr, keď pochopíte ich význam,
cítite sa s nimi spojení.
cítite sa s nimi spojení.
02:41
and then when you get the meaning,
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02:43
you feel connected to it.
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Moje posolstvá sú vždy zamerané
02:45
I always make sure to write messages
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na miesta, kde maľujem,
02:47
that are relevant to the place
where I'm painting,
where I'm painting,
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02:50
but messages that have
a universal dimension,
a universal dimension,
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ale majú univerzálny rozmer,
aby sa s nimi mohol
identifikovať celý svet.
identifikovať celý svet.
02:53
so anybody around the world
can connect to it.
can connect to it.
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02:56
I was born and raised in France, in Paris,
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Narodil som sa a vyrástol som v Paríži
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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a začal som sa učiť čítať a písať
po arabsky, keď som mal 18 rokov.
po arabsky, keď som mal 18 rokov.
03:03
Today I only write messages in Arabic.
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Dnes robím grafity iba v arabčine.
03:07
One of the reasons
this is so important to me,
this is so important to me,
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Jedným z dôvodov,
prečo je to pre mňa také dôležité,
prečo je to pre mňa také dôležité,
je prijatie vo svete.
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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03:15
In Rio de Janeiro, I translated
this Portuguese poem
this Portuguese poem
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V Riu de Janeiro som preložil
túto portugalskú báseň
túto portugalskú báseň
Gabriela Tôrresovej Barbosovej,
03:19
from Gabriela Tôrres Barbosa,
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ktorá vzdáva poctu chudobným
obyvateľom tamojších chatrčí,
obyvateľom tamojších chatrčí,
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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a potom som ju namaľoval na strechu.
03:24
and then I painted it on the rooftop.
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03:27
The local community were really
intrigued by what I was doing,
intrigued by what I was doing,
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Miestne obyvateľstvo to naozaj zaujalo,
03:30
but as soon as I gave them
the meaning of the calligraphy,
the meaning of the calligraphy,
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ale hneď ako som im
vysvetlil význam nápisu,
vysvetlil význam nápisu,
03:33
they thanked me, as they felt
connected to the piece.
connected to the piece.
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poďakovali mi,
lebo ich toto dielo oslovilo.
lebo ich toto dielo oslovilo.
03:38
In South Africa, in Cape Town,
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V Južnej Afrike, v Kapskom meste
03:40
the local community of Philippi
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mi miestna filipská komunita
ponúkla jediný betónový múr
jednej okrajovej štvrte.
jednej okrajovej štvrte.
03:43
offered me the only
concrete wall of the slum.
concrete wall of the slum.
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03:46
It was a school, and I wrote on it
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Bola to škola a napísal som tam
citát Nelsona Mandelu,
citát Nelsona Mandelu,
03:49
a quote from Nelson Mandela,
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03:50
saying, "[in Arabic],"
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ktorý v arabčine znie: [citát v arabčine],
čo znamená: „Všetko sa zdá nemožné,
až kým to neurobíš.“
až kým to neurobíš.“
03:53
which means, "It seems
impossible until it's done."
impossible until it's done."
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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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Jeden muž ku mne pristúpil a opýtal sa:
„Prečo nepíšete po anglicky?“
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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Odpovedal som mu, že by som
vzal jeho názor na vedomie,
vzal jeho názor na vedomie,
keby sa ma bol opýtal,
prečo nepíšem v zuluštine.
prečo nepíšem v zuluštine.
04:04
why I didn't write in Zulu."
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04:06
In Paris, once, there was this event,
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V Paríži na jednej akcii
04:09
and someone gave his wall to be painted.
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mi raz niekto ponúkol svoju stenu,
aby som na ňu maľoval.
aby som na ňu maľoval.
04:14
And when he saw I was painting in Arabic,
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Keď videl, že píšem po arabsky,
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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tak sa nahneval a rozzúril,
že ma žiadal vymazať to.
že ma žiadal vymazať to.
Bol som podráždený a sklamaný.
04:20
I was mad and disappointed.
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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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O týždeň nato ma však organizátor
podujatia poprosil, aby som sa vrátil,
podujatia poprosil, aby som sa vrátil,
a povedal mi, že rovno naproti
domu toho človeka je jedna stena.
domu toho človeka je jedna stena.
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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Takže ten muž
04:30
So, this guy --
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04:31
(Laughter)
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(smiech)
04:33
like, was forced to see it every day.
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sa musí dívať na moju maľbu deň čo deň.
04:35
At the beginning, I was going
to write, "[In Arabic],"
to write, "[In Arabic],"
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Najprv som chcel napísať
[citát v arabčine],
[citát v arabčine],
04:38
which means, "In your face," but --
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čo znamená „Prehrávaš“, ale...
04:40
(Laughter)
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(smiech)
rozhodol som sa zachovať sa rozumnejšie
a napísal som [citát v arabčine],
a napísal som [citát v arabčine],
04:42
I decided to be smarter
and I wrote, "[In Arabic],"
and I wrote, "[In Arabic],"
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čo znamená „Otvor svoje srdce“.
04:46
which means, "Open your heart."
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04:49
I'm really proud of my culture,
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Som veľmi hrdý na svoju kultúru
04:52
and I'm trying to be an ambassador
of it through my artwork.
of it through my artwork.
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a snažím sa byť cez svoje
umenie jej vyslancom.
umenie jej vyslancom.
04:57
And I hope that I can break
the stereotypes we all know,
the stereotypes we all know,
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Dúfam, že sa mi podarí prelomiť
stereotypy, ktoré všetci poznáme,
stereotypy, ktoré všetci poznáme,
krásnym arabským písmom.
05:02
with the beauty of Arabic script.
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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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Prestal som na steny písať
preklady posolstiev.
preklady posolstiev.
05:11
I don't want the poetry
of the calligraphy to be broken,
of the calligraphy to be broken,
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Nechcem, aby poézia v nápisoch trpela,
lebo je umením a dá sa oceniť
aj bez poznania jej významu,
aj bez poznania jej významu,
05:14
as it's art and you can appreciate it
without knowing the meaning,
without knowing the meaning,
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05:18
as you can enjoy any music
from other countries.
from other countries.
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rovnako ako sa dá vychutnávať
hudba zo zahraničia.
hudba zo zahraničia.
05:21
Some people see that
as a rejection or a closed door,
as a rejection or a closed door,
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Niektorí si to vysvetľujú ako odmietnutie
alebo zatvorenie dverí,
alebo zatvorenie dverí,
ale pre mňa je to skôr pozvanie
05:25
but for me, it's more an invitation --
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05:27
to my language,
to my culture, and to my art.
to my culture, and to my art.
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do môjho jazyka, kultúry a umenia.
Ďakujem.
05:31
Thank you.
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(potlesk)
05:32
(Applause)
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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