Najah Zarbout

Biography

After studying at the Higher Institute of Arts and Crafts in Sfax, Najah Zarbout was accepted at the University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne, where she earned a doctorate in Arts and Sciences of Art. She currently holds a position as an assistant professor at the Higher Institute of Fine Arts in Sousse.

Najah Zarbout is interested in subjects related to current events, the individual, and contemporary society. Her artistic creations explore the relationship with others in its various aspects. She offers a metaphor for human submission or disobedience and invites the viewer on an imaginary journey through the materiality of paper. Behind her seemingly playful works lie profound and daring subjects. Her artistic practice takes various forms, ranging from drawing to video, photography, and installation. In recent years, she has focused on a cutout approach. From embossing to folding or tearing, in various combinations of light, lines, and cuts, she engages in a dialogue with paper.

In 2018, Najah Zarbout represented Tunisia at the Dakar Biennale in Senegal. In addition to numerous solo and group exhibitions, her work has been featured in several fairs and salons in Tunisia, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Morocco, Kuwait, among others. She is the recipient of the Grand Prix in Plastic Arts at the “Ici et demain” festival in 2008 (France).