the essential
The painter Elie Beniflah is one of the twelve artists selected by the Privart association to exhibit at the Saint-Sernin basilica as part of the immersive sound and light offered by Toulouse Heart of Lights.
He is still surprised. At 81 years old, if Elie Beniflah became known in Toulouse for his multiple sporting prowess (snowboarding, marathon, cycling, golf, water skiing, swimming, etc.) he has also had another passion for twenty-five years: painting . “It’s a happiness parallel to that of sport,” he explains, in front of his easel. “I exhibit everywhere, notably at the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris and in Geneva in Switzerland.”
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His style embraces the primitive style using “poor” raw materials as he likes to say: “A reference to the Arte Povera artistic movement, which appeared after the war in Italy”. This year, this dynamic octogenarian had the pleasure of being selected to exhibit on one of the twelve pillars of the Saint-Sernin basilica, alongside the show offered by Toulouse Coeur de Lumières. “The artists of the Privart association of which I am a part were put in contact with Sébastien Salvagnac, member of the Privart Collections office, explains Elie. I presented a model of my work during this immersive mapping. Father Bogdan Velyanyk, parish priest of Saint-Sernin, was responsible for the selection and I was selected.”
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A first for the Toulouse artist. “With this painting, entitled “Saint-Sernin welcomes the pilgrims”, I wanted to create a topical vision around Saint-Saturnin, martyr and first bishop of Toulouse in the 3rde century, explains Elie Beniflah, who in this painting, welcomes with kindness and tolerance pilgrims from all backgrounds and cultures who converge on Toulouse, city of tolerance. A reflection linked to today’s world.
“It’s a bit of my story”
“I was born in Spanish Morocco and when this country gained independence in 1956, we were no longer welcome and we preferred to leave to migrate to Barcelona in Spain. I left my country and I had new friends. After the baccalaureate, I went to Toulouse to follow my higher education.
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A third migration after that of 1492 when the Beniflah family left Spain for Morocco. “It is also a bit of my story that I describe in this painting,” he assures. Moreover, to avoid any ambiguity, I reminded one of the organizers that I was not Catholic but of Jewish confession. The answer was clear: “Chagall was not either. However, he represented the rose windows of the cathedrals of Reims and Metz, in reference to the Bible.
