"Bridging Cultures Through Art and Friendship"

Over the past twenty-five years of creating and sharing my art, I’ve been fortunate to build deep friendships. This past Monday, my artist friends traveled in from the city to my newly established home in Hudson. When we gather, sparks of inspiration always ignite—our creative energies seem to dance off one another.

With Neila Benayed, Bousmaha Seddiki, Jean-François Leclerc, Michel Pierre Lachance

Our collective journey began years ago during a cultural exchange between artists from Tunisia and Canada. Back then, while I was serving at the United Nations, I joined the group for a landmark exhibition at the Bardo National Museum in Tunis. It was during that trip that I stayed with Neila’s family—a warm, bustling household, filled with the laughter of her three children. Those days in the grand, sunlit rooms sowed the seeds for long-lasting—dare I say, enduring—friendships. Over time, we built on that bond, launching more artistic endeavors together. That momentum led us to form “Identity,” a group show concept that found homes in Montreal..

Arrival of the artists at the airport for the exhibition at the Bardo National Museum; visit of the medina in Tunis and at Café des Délices in Sidi Bou Saïd.

When I was still working at the United Nations, Neila came to New York with our friends from Tunisia—Alia, Zoubeida, and Sayda—for exhibitions in New York. We showcased our work at the Ashok Jain Gallery and later at the United Nations. Each event seemed to strengthen our shared vision and deepen our connection—proof that art can truly transcend borders.

Exhibition at the United Nations and the Ashok Jain Gallery in New York. The celebration at my place at Waterside Plaza in Manhattan.