An Article by F. A. (1068 words, 6 min. read)
X-Croissances | LT Gallery, Beirut | October 16–31, 2026
Beyond the Painted Surface
There is something immediately captivating about Taher Jaoui’s latest creations. Their abundance of color, the freedom of their compositions and the extraordinary richness of their surfaces invite the eye to travel endlessly from one detail to another.
With X-Croissances, presented at LT Gallery in Beirut, the Tunisian artist introduces a fascinating development in his artistic practice. His familiar universe of abstract shapes, mathematical signs, spontaneous lines and overlapping colors acquires an entirely new physical dimension through tufting, a textile technique that allows him to build forms with yarn directly onto a surface.
The result is a collection of exuberant, tactile compositions in which painting and textile become intimately connected. Colors seem to rise from the canvas, shapes acquire volume and the viewer discovers a new relationship between the painted image and its material construction.
The Art of Tufting
Tufting involves inserting yarn into a fabric support using a specialized machine, gradually building a dense textile surface. Traditionally associated with rugs and decorative textiles, the technique becomes, in Jaoui’s hands, a remarkable instrument of artistic expression.
He introduces tufted elements into his paintings, creating raised forms that interact with the surrounding brushstrokes, drawings and layers of pigment. The contrast between the softness of the yarn and the energetic application of paint is particularly beautiful. Some shapes resemble cellular organisms, others evoke imaginary creatures, fragments of a mysterious alphabet or playful figures emerging from an overflowing imagination.
The precision required by tufting adds another fascinating aspect to his work. Every curve demands attention, every area of color must be constructed through a succession of movements. The artist combines the instinctive freedom of painting with the meticulous execution of textile work.
From a distance, the compositions offer a spectacular visual experience. Up close, they reveal the intricacy of their construction, the thickness of the fibers and the surprising harmony between materials.
Months of Work, a Physical Price
Behind the joyful appearance of these paintings lies an extraordinary amount of labor. For months, Jaoui has worked relentlessly to prepare this exhibition, spending long hours experimenting with his tufting machine, exploring its possibilities and developing a personal way of integrating yarn into his compositions.
The process has demanded tremendous concentration, patience and physical endurance. The repetitive movements, the careful positioning of the machine and the continuous construction of each textile element have occupied much of his daily life.
This intense dedication has also affected his health. After months of working with the persistent sound of the tufting machine, Jaoui is now suffering from tinnitus, a condition characterized by ringing or other sounds perceived in the ears.
This detail adds a deeply human dimension to the exhibition. The beautiful, soft surfaces that visitors admire are the result of countless hours spent in a demanding and noisy working environment. Each composition represents an investment of time, physical energy and personal determination.
The contrast is striking. The machine produces a relentless mechanical sound while creating delicate, almost comforting textures. The finished paintings celebrate softness, color and visual pleasure, while their making has left the artist dealing with an uncomfortable auditory condition.
An Explosion of Color and Imagination
Jaoui’s artistic language has always been recognizable through its abundance of marks, bold colors and complex arrangements. His background in computer science and engineering contributes to his fascination with mathematical formulas, symbols and structures. Yet his paintings possess a spontaneous energy that gives each composition its individuality.
In X-Croissances, this vocabulary becomes even richer. Bright pinks, intense blues, greens, yellows and contrasting darker tones inhabit compositions filled with interlocking forms. The eye discovers an endless succession of small events taking place across the surface.
In The Algorithm of Desire, the relationship between organized structures and intuitive expression becomes particularly interesting. An Infinite Organism suggests a constantly multiplying world of shapes, while The Anatomy of Excess seems to celebrate the pleasure of accumulation.
The monumental Digital Ghosts, measuring three meters in width, offers an especially impressive demonstration of Jaoui’s ambition. Its generous scale allows the different elements to interact across a vast visual field, creating a composition that can be appreciated both as a whole and through its countless individual details.
The beauty of these works also lies in their ability to awaken the imagination. A shape may suggest an animal, a face, a flower or an invented character. Each viewer can discover personal associations within the same painting.
Between Control and Freedom
One of the most interesting aspects of this new direction is the relationship between two distinct artistic processes. Painting allows Jaoui to respond instinctively to the developing composition, adding lines, colors and marks according to his visual intuition. Tufting introduces a different rhythm, requiring preparation, repetition and a more deliberate construction of forms.
Together, these techniques create a dialogue between spontaneity and precision.
The raised textile elements also transform the way light interacts with the artwork. Their fibers absorb and reflect light differently from painted surfaces, producing subtle variations in color and depth. The compositions change according to the viewing angle, inviting visitors to move closer and examine their material richness.
The tactile quality adds a certain warmth to Jaoui’s artistic universe. The shapes acquire an almost sculptural character, giving his abstraction a physical quality that extends the possibilities of his earlier paintings.
The Pleasure of Reinvention
With X-Croissances, Taher Jaoui demonstrates an admirable curiosity and willingness to explore unfamiliar techniques. His transition toward tufting reflects months of experimentation, technical learning and considerable personal effort.
The exhibition also invites reflection on the relationship between an artist and the tools he chooses. A machine traditionally used to produce textiles becomes an instrument of contemporary painting. A technique associated with craftsmanship acquires the expressive freedom of abstraction.
Perhaps the most touching aspect of this exhibition is the dedication behind its exuberant beauty. Every tufted form required time, every composition demanded attention and every experiment contributed to the development of a new artistic language.
For Jaoui, the experience has come with the very real consequences of prolonged exposure to mechanical noise. For the viewer, it offers an opportunity to discover a body of work filled with imagination, color, texture and remarkable technical achievement.
X-Croissances marks an exciting chapter in his artistic journey, one in which the pleasure of painting expands into the material world of fibers, relief and touch.
