Born in 1980 in Algiers, Algeria. Lives and works in France and Algeria.

Massinissa Selmani tries all kinds of experiments that drawing allows. It is characterized by an extreme simplicity – often presenting montages of images and drawings, or short animations in which he mingles humor, irony, and sometimes a sense of revolt. Massinissa’s images reveal the ambiguities of the signs and push their juxtapositions until absurdity. The subjects of his works are often sourced from political news, social news and press clippings. The images that they show are the results of a selection process, treatment and cropping inspired by the archive and documentary codes. Sometimes they create a mise en scene or a narrative that opens up various experimentation fields.

Presented at the 56th Venice Biennale (All the World’s Future, curated by Okwui Enwezor, 2015), Massinissa Selmani received a special mention from the jury. In 2016, He was the tenth winner of the Art [ ] Collector Prize (Paris) and the Sam Art Projects Prize (Paris).

The work of Massinissa Selmani has been recently exhibited at: The Palais de Tokyo, Paris (2018), the CCC of Tours (2015), the first triennial of Vendôme, France (2015), the Dakar Biennial (2014), the 13th Lyon Biennial (2015), Art Basel Statements (Selma Feriani Gallery, 2016), La Maison Salvan, France (2016), Zachęta National Gallery of Art, Poland (2016), the 13th Sharjah Biennial (2017) and Frac Centre, France (2017).

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2018
Ce qui coule n’a pas de fin, SAM Art Projects Prize, Palais de Tokyo, Paris. Curated by Yoann Gourmel.

2017
Les choses que vous faites m’entourent, Galerie Anne-Sarah Bénichou, Paris
Même dans la pierre, il y a du sable. Galerie de l’Etrave, Thonon-Les-Bains, France. Curated by Philippe Piguet.
Le vent ne veut jamais rester dehors. Selma Feriani gallery, Tunis.

2016
Bleu comme une orange, Art [ ] Collector Prize, Patio Opéra, Paris. Curated by Catherine David.
L’horizon était là, Maison Salvan, Labège, France. Curated by Paul de Sorbier.

2015
Centre de création contemporaine Olivier Debré CCCOD, Tours. France.

2013
L’usine ne fait pas les nuages,  Talmart gallery, Paris.
L’Allure des choses, Mamia Bretesché gallery , Paris.

2011
L’Octroi, Tours, France.

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2017
FIAC, Paris. (Selma Feriani Gallery).
Marcher dans le rêve d’un autre, Biennale d’architecture d’Orléans. Frac Centre, France. Curated by Abdelkader Damani and Luca Galofaro.
Tamawuj, 13th Sharjah biennial, UAE. Curated by Christine Tohmé.
Drawing Biennial 2017. The Drawing Room, London, UK.
Réparations. Frac Centre (Fr). Curated by Abdelkader Damani.
I want ! I want!: Art & Technology. Birmingham Museum and Art. Curated by Deborah smith.
Where the f*ck is my sock, Akinci Gallery, Amsterdam.
Mouvements, Salle des Pavillons, Lyon. In collaboration with Veduta, biennale de Lyon 2017.
The intimate ennemy, Pelagica studio and gallery, Milan. Curated by Pelagica.
Newwwar. It’s just a game? Bandjoun station, Cameroon. Curated by Marion Zilio

All we need, group show. Private choice, Paris

The pace of the outsides, Duo show with Albrecht Schnider, Akinci Gallery, Amsterdam.
Un monde in-tranquille, Abbaye Saint André – CAC Meymac. Fr.
Paréidolie, Salon international du dessun contemporain, Marseille. (Galerie Anne-Sarah Bénichou).
Dans mes mains, dans mes rêves même. Patio Opéra, Paris.
Art Paris. (Galerie 8+4 / Bernard Chauveau).

2016
Social Calligraphies, Zachęta National Gallery, Poland. Curated by Magda Kardasz.
Statement, Art Basel, Basel. (Selma Feriani Gallery).
5×2, Art [ ] Collector, Patio Opéra, Paris. Curated by Philippe Piguet
Stand Up!  Dak’art Off 2016, Senegal.
Drawing Now, Paris. (Selma Feriani Gallery)
Art Dubaï, UAE. (Selma Feriani Gallery)
Art Dubaï Projects 2016. Curated by Yasmina Reggad.

Zona Maco, Mexico DF. (Yam Gallery)

2015
All the world’s futures , 56th Venice Biennale, Arsenal, Venice, Italy. Curated by Okwui Onwezor.
La vie moderne, 13th biennale de Lyon. Curated by Ralph Rugoff.
Double take, Nature Morte Gallery,  New Delhi. Curated by Diana C. Betancourt.
PARÉIDOLIE,  Salon International du Dessin Contemporain à Marseille. (Karima Celestin gallery).
1st Triennale de Vendôme, France. Curated by Nadège Piton, Erik Noulette and Damien Sausset.
DDessin, Paris Contemporary Drawing Art Fair.
Dessine-moi une vidéo, Karima Celestin gallery, Marseille.
Carte blanche, Officine dell’immagine gallery, Milan, Italy. Curated by Silvia Cirelli.

1 :54 Contemporaray African art Fair. (Primo Marella Gallery).

2014
Produire le commun, Dak’art biennale, Senegal. Curated by Elise Atangana, Smooth Ugochukwu NZEWI and Abdelkader Damani.
Singapore Art Fair, MENA Pavillon. Curated by Catherine David.
Singapore Art Fair. (Mamia Bretesché gallery).
Walk under the same sky, Yam Gallery, SMA, Mexico.
Intervening Space : From the ultimate to the world, The Mosaic Rooms, London. Curated by Yasmina Reggad and Ali MacGilp.
Dibujos; Geografìa Variables, Yam Gallery, Mexico.
DDessin, Paris Contemporary Drawing Fair, Atelier Richelieu, Paris. (Talmart gallery).
Du point à la ligne, Mamia Bretesché gallery , Paris.
Portrait Redux, Selma Feriani gallery, Tunis.

Subliminaloops, Les Arteliers de la sources, Orléans, France.

2013
Art Connections, Brasov, Roumania.
(One) hope map, Hallen Belfort, Brugge, Belgium. Curated by Michel DeWilde.

Group show, French institute, Annaba, Algeria.

2012
Festival Alternative, Belgrade, Serbia.
Group show, French institute, Oran, Algeria.
Limonaïa, Musée des beaux-arts de Tours, France. Curated by Marie-Claude Valentin and Ghislain Lauverjat.
Group show, French institute, Algiers, Algéria.
Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris.
Place aux 14 janvier, Talmart Gallery, Paris.

Faire Face, Galerie contemporaine de la ville de Chinon. Curated by Dominique Marchès.

2011
Le jasmin l’emportera, théâtre Jean Vilar, Vitry-Sur-Seine.
Habiter la terre, international biennial of contemporary art, Melle, France. Curated by Dominique Truco.
Visions nocturnes, Musée des beaux arts de Tours, France.

Petits formats, Tours, France.

EDUCATION

DNSEP, Ecole supérieure des beaux-arts de Tours. Tours, France
DNAP, Ecole supérieure des beaux-arts de Tours. Tours, France

DEUA in computer science, University of Tizi-Ouzou, Algeria

AWARDS / GRANTS

2016
SAM Art Projects Prize. Paris.

Art [ ] Collector Prize, Paris.

2015

Special mention, 56th Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy.

2013

Bourse d’aide à la création Drac centre, France.

RESIDENCIES

Veduta Residency, 13th Biennale de Lyon, 2015.
Studio Perro Bravo, Mexico DF. Invited by Yam Gallery, SMA, Mexico.

L’Octroi, Tours (France), 2011. With the support of Mode D’emploi, Tours.

TALKS / CONFERENCES

2018

Fondation Salomon, Annecy.

2017
French Institute, Belgrade. Talk with Ivana Vojt.

Galerie de l’étrave, Thonon-les-bains, France.

2016

Drawing Now Paris. Talk with Philippe Piguet.

2015
1:54 Forum, London.
Frac Champagne-Ardenne, France.

ESAD Orléans, France.

PUBLICATIONS (selection)

CATALOGS

2018

Ce qui coule n’a pas de fin, solo exhibition’s catalog. With the support of SAM Art Projects.

2017
Marcher dans le rêve d’un autre, biennale d’architecture d’Orléans.

Tamawuj, 13th Sharjah Biannial.

2016
Digital Monograph, Naima Editions, Paris.

Monograph, Art [ ]Collector Prize, Paris.

2015
13th biennale de Lyon,
56th Venice Biennale.

1st  Triennale de Vendôme.

2014
Intervening Space : From the ultimate to the world, London. Texts by Yasmina Reggad and Ali MacGilp

2013

(One) Hope Map.

2012
Limonaïa, text by Jérôme Diacre.

2011
Habiter la terre, international biennial of contemporary art, Melle, France. Text by Dominique Truco

PRESS (selection)

2018
DIPTYK, April 2018 : L’insoutenable légèreté du trait.
Art Absolument, March 2018 : Massinissa Selmani, le bizarre, l’étrange et l’incongru.

Revue l’oeil, February 2018 : Massinissa Selmani – Énigme et histoire. Portrait by Philippe Piguet.

2017
Artforum, November 2017, Text by Riccardo Venturi
Telerama.fr: Massinissa Selmani, un coup de crayon subversif et déroutant. Text by Alexia Guggémos.
Le Monde: Massinissa Selmani, l’art de l’absurde. Text by Roxana Azimi.

Délibéré.fr: Massinissa Selmani makes it visible. Text by Nina Leger.

2016
Art Press N 432, Massinissa Selmani, between comedy and tragedy.
Revue l’oeil, Mars 2016, portrait by Philippe Piguet.

Revue Jef Kalk, 1000 villages, Massinissa Selmani.

2015
France Culture – Les carnets de la création, Massinissa Selmani
Le Monde Afrique –  Les cinq artistes africains de l’année 2015.
Sock-studio.com – Collapsing Utopia: Massinissa Selmani’s “1000 Villages” and the Failed Algerian Agrarian Revolution of 1973
Diptyk N28 –  Venise sera-t-elle africaine ?
Le quotidien de l’art N°902 –  Chambre avec vue, Massinissa Selmani.
Contemporary And – Drawing : A modest medium ? C& talks to artist Massinissa Selmani.
Le Monde Afrique – A coups de crayons, Massinissa Selmani désamorce la violence.
Tafmag –  Massinissa Selmani dessine l’absurdité de la vie à partir de photos de presse
De(s)génétations N°22 – Penser avec l’Afrique.
Les cahiers de l’Orient – Entretien avec Massinissa Selmani – Anastasia Rostan

Revue Laura (Hors Série,  Mai 2015) – Massinissa Selmani ou le bloc-notes magique.

2014
Euronews.com – Paris’s blue dog and wall of separation.
L’expression (DZ) – Massinissa Selmani, l’usine ne fait pas les nuages.
Arts Hebdo Medias – Massinissa Selmani, text by Samantha Deman.

Actuart.org – Massinissa Selmani, l’usine ne fait pas les nuages.

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS

MAC Lyon, France.
Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris.
Frac Centre, France.
Art [ ]Collector, Paris.
Samdani Art Foundation, Bangladesh.