Al-Tiba9 is rooted in a decade-long mission to encourage dialogue between the West and the Arab world through contemporary art. Founded in 2013 in Algeria under the name Al-Tiba9 (الطباق), the initiative was originally conceived as an annual museum exhibition dedicated to engaging with social realities and bridging diverse artistic perspectives.
In October 2023, this vision expanded with the opening of “Al-Tiba9 Gallery” in Barcelona, Spain. Situated in a 300 sqm exhibition space in El Born, the historic heart of the city and a cultural hub near the Picasso Museum, the European Museum of Modern Art, the Moco Museum, and the Chocolate Museum, the gallery strengthens the institution’s international presence while remaining deeply connected to its origins.
The Gallery represents and exhibits established, internationally recognized artists from a wide range of backgrounds, while also providing a platform for emerging artists entering the global art scene. Its program prioritizes contemporary art that reflects the complexities of modern society, encourages experimentation, and embraces a diverse range of mediums capable of resonating within today’s artistic landscape.
Founded by Mohamed Benhadj, an independent curator with extensive experience working with prominent artists, museums, and art professionals, the gallery operates as a dynamic hub for artistic and cultural exchange. Through curated exhibitions, critical publications, interviews, talks, and online initiatives, Al-Tiba9 Gallery cultivates a space where artists, art professionals and collectors can connect, collaborate, and evolve.
With its strong curatorial identity, international perspective, and commitment to promoting cross-cultural dialogue, Al-Tiba9 Gallery stands as a vital platform, originating in North Africa and now expanding globally, dedicated to shaping the future of contemporary art.
Al-Tiba9 in the Arabic language
Al-Tiba9 in Arabic is the combination of two opposing or contrasting elements within speech, whether in poetry or prose. It is considered one of the rhetorical embellishments that enhance the beauty of meaning and clarify it. Al-TIba9 is divided into two main types:
Positive Al-Tiba9 :
The combination of a word and its opposite without the use of negation or affirmation, E.g: day and night.
Between two nouns: (life and death).Between two verbs: (gives and takes away).Between two particles: (for her and against her).Between a noun and a verb: (Is he who was dead and We gave him life...).
Negative Al-Tiba9 :
The combination of opposites through affirmation and negation, e.g., they know, and they do not know.
الطباق في اللغة العربية
الطباق في اللغة العربية هو الجمع بين عنصرين متقابلين أو متضادين في الكلام، سواء في الشعر أو النثر.
ويُعدّ من المحسنات البديعية التي تضفي جمالاً على المعنى وتوضحه.
وينقسم الطباق إلى قسمين رئيسيين:
طباق الإيجاب
الجمع بين الكلمة وضدها دون استخدام النفي أو الإثبات.
مثال: نهار وليلة
بين اسمين: (الحياة والموت)بين فعلين: (تؤتي وتنزع)بين حرفين: (لها وعليها)بين اسم وفعل: (أومن كان ميتًا فأحييناه)
طباق السلب
الجمع بين الضدين من خلال الإثبات والنفي.
مثال: يعلمون ولا يعلمون.
FOUNDER & CURATOR
Mohamed Benhadj (Algeria, 1986), one of the most influential art curators from Algeria with a decade in the international field of contemporary art., is the icon of performance art known for his audacious and avant-garde style since his first beginnings in Algiers in 2010.
Driven by his vision of a common global platform to provide growth opportunities to emerging artists in contemporary art, Benhadj established Al-Tiba9 in 2013. His focus has been on the international exhibition of modern art, performance, and fashion design, promoting the exchange between art institutions and artists gathering in an Arab social-cultural environment.
Being the booster of the International Cultural Exchange in contemporary art in Algeria, he strengthened the possibilities of change and growth for international artists by exchanging and promoting art on a broader level.
In 2014, Mohamed extended his philosophy to Barcelona, Spain, where he gave his art exhibitions in 2017 a new touch by merging performance and fashion design as an alternative platform for independent designers to freely express themselves and introduce them to the art world.
Mohamed Benhadj has been carrying on his journey for over fifteen years now; where he has collaborated with the Ministry of Culture, Museums, Art Institutions, Embassies, and Art Centers, becoming the most active curator from Algeria to establish his contemporary art gallery in the heart of Barcelona representing a mix of Eastern and Western artists with a special focus in the middle eastern art.
His goal is to create a new pole of contemporary art in North Africa, creating a solid cultural bridge between the East and the West by offering the world a unique experience of creativity, possibility, and growth like no other around the globe.
