During the 29th edition of the International Publishing and Book Fair (SIEL 2024), Loubaba Laalej presented his book “Chuchotement du silence” at the League gallery in Rabat. This book, prefaced by Aziz Stouli and Ahmed Bachnou, examines in depth the theme of silence and its murmurs, key elements in the work of this talented writer and painter. Through her writings and pictorial works, the author delves into the subtlety and intensity of silences to offer a poetic and artistic reflection on this evocative concept..
Thus, during this presentation, Loubaba Laalej shared with the public her creative process, revealing the different stages that led her to bring “Whisper of Silence” to life. His paintings, imbued with this cozy and captivating atmosphere, have also been highlighted to visually illustrate the notions explored in his book. The guests had the opportunity to admire in this work around twenty paintings representing silence in its most intimate and profound aspects. On the other hand, the author addresses with finesse the silence which engenders, the silence which leaves room for imagination and creation. This fertile silence is a breeding ground for ideas and inspirations, a blank canvas where the artist can give birth to new forms and new stories. “Silence is multiple and its resonances diverse. In the horror of rape, it takes your breath away, makes your hair stand on end and sends shivers down your spine. Violent silence is a crime, it can kill on the spot. The hunters are ready to pounce on their prey. She runs, sneaks, hides and makes jumps of anxiety. Silence kills through the impurity of silence, perverse noises have crept in!” underlined Loubaba Laalej during this meeting.
Indeed, the writer sensitively explores the silence of autistic and deaf people, highlighting the obstacles and misunderstandings they may face in a society often centered on speech. She invites us to consider this silence not as an absence of communication, but as an alternative form of expression rich in nuances and subtleties. “The silence of the autistic confines and isolates. He cannot communicate, he experiences the impossible and withdrawal. It looks like self-abuse. It takes you away from the hustle and bustle of the world. The autistic person remains in the infinity of his inner abyss,” she continued.
Through her poems and reflections, the author reminds us that silence is not necessarily empty of meaning, but that it can on the contrary carry multiple possibilities. It can be a space of liberation, deep listening and introspection which allows us to reconnect with ourselves and the world around us. Silence, far from being a void to be filled, is an inexhaustible Source of understanding and connection with our deepest essence.
Speaking at this meeting, the writer and research professor Aziz Stouli considered that the author intelligently exalts and multiplies silence. “The silence here is multiple. “Silence of plenitude”, “Silence which gives birth”, “Silence of [qui] veils its obscurities”, “Silence of the autistic” or even “Silence of the deaf”. It thus fructifies the material and offers a new richness allowing the specificity of each type of silence to be identified. A fantastic typological sketch. Enough to nourish all thoughts that aspire to the beautiful sweetness of poems, in this case the substance of silence,” he said.
Thus, Loubaba Laalej’s pen celebrates the richness of silence, its ability to transcend words and touch the very essence of our humanity. His writings remind us that in the tumult of the modern world, taking the time to be quiet and listen can be a true Source of inspiration and transformation. However, at Loubaba Laalej, according to the writer and research professor Ahmed Bachnou, it is also an extension of speech, a Source of inspiration and a moment of listening. “Silence, through “Whisper of Silence”, maintains a close relationship with exteriority. To consider silence, we must thwart the initial paradoxes: words rely on silence to give food for thought. Silence grants a privileged place to those who receive the collection by readers. The possibility of escape, of wandering of thought, is left open. The writer’s question is no longer how to say, but how to keep quiet. The reader is supposed to fill in the “gaps” of the text and extend the thought that the poet initiated,” he noted.
Finally, the presentation of the book “Whisper of silence” during SIEL 2024 was a special moment, combining literature, art and introspection. Loubaba Laalej knew how to captivate his audience by elegantly analyzing the mysteries of silence, inviting us to slow down, listen attentively and let ourselves be imbued with the magic of the unsaid and the non-verbal.
