Lahlou doesn’t restrict himself to any specific material or medium. He creates photographs, sculptures, installations, videos and performances. Born between different cultures (Moroccan-French), he is alert to all kinds of fundamentalism and questions different types of prevailing ideas, mainly on femininity-masculinity and Islam-Christianity. He uses rather trivial and – for a twentieth-century artist – traditional objects and symbols which he combines in a totally different context. This way he obtains very ambiguous but fascinating results. Mehdi-Georges Lahlou’s installations and performances are all about crossing limits, cultural and religious boundaries and literally challenging his physical limits… As Lahlou grew up in a mixed religious environment (with one parent Muslim and the other Christian), he experienced our multicultural and multiform society in his daily life. This is reflected in his work in a humorous, intelligent kind of way. (Karen Renders)
Mehdi-Georges Lahlou in Human / Nature exhibition in De Cellen, Oostkamp, 2024: photos
Sculpture
I used to be Nefertiti, 2014, Plaster, painted, unique, 60 x 24 x 45 cmHead, ed ea 2/2, 2013, couscous and resine, 34 x 20 x 22 cmCréature pour Chaman, ou Autoportrait à la Cannelle, 2018, cinnamon, broom from Cambodia, 84 x 80 x 40 cmThe Hourglass, 23’, 2015, glass & couscous, 73 x 30 x 30 cmFrom the Balcony, 72 Virgins and the Oasis, 2020, bois, palmier, voile, impression, son, unique, 3 versionsUncertain Black Stone 2, 2016, blown glass, unique, 3 versions + 1 ea, 29 x 21 x 16 cmDivine Comédie [petit format], 2016, prayer rug, embroidery, framed, unique, 3 versions + 1Into the Wind, the Virgins, the Birds…, 2020, Sérigraphie sur 72 foulards, divers matériaux, unique & 1 AP, variable installationLes Plus Décidés, ed 1/3, 2017, geborduurd textiel op chassis, ed 3 + 1 ea, 100 x 100 cm [x6]The Leftovers, Oriental Blue [first version], 2016, glass, unique, 47 x 26 x 22 cm, private collectionBénitier, 2017, cinnamon, epoxy, water, unique, 4 versions, 37 x 40 x 40 cmOf the Confused Memory, 2015, metal et verre imprimée, unique en trois versions differents, 140 x 140 x 7 cmBananier, 2017, glass, unique, 3 versions, 75 x 80 x 70 cm
Photo’s
Décomposition culinaire ou autoportrait à la tajine, 2012, C-print on dibond, ed 2/4, 67 x 160 cmMouvement Décomposé, 2010, lambda photo on dibond, ed 2/4, 85 x 143 cmPortrait de Famille, 2009, photo, ed 3/4, photo, ed 3/4, 90 x 120 cmThe Assembly, 2013, photo, C-print, ed 3/4, 82 x 120 cmCeci n’est pas une femme musulmane, 2009, photo sur dibond, ed 3/4, 23 x 19 cmPortrait selon… Pierre Molinier, Shirin Neshat, 2009, lambda photo on dibond, ed 3/4, framed, 80 x 50 cmDevout with the Cross, 2010, lambda photo on dibond, ed 2/4, 90 x 60 cmDevout with the Flesh, 2013, Lambda-print, ed 1/4, 74 x 54 cmAutoportrait à la Pastèque, 2010, C-print on dibond, ea 2/2, framed, 44 x 44 x 6 cmUnder the Sand, the Sun, 2019, ed 3/4, photo on dibond, framed, 17 x 24 cmParadis incertain E, 2014, lambda print on dibond, ed 2/3, 120 x 120 cmCocktail ou Autoportrait en Societé 1, 2010, photo, ed 4/4, 50 x 70 cmBlack Madonna M.F., 2017, Charcoal on photo on dibond, unique, 120 x 90 cmTango, 80 x 65 cm, 2010, lambda photo on dibond, ed 4 + 2 ea, sold out
Collages
Mother with the Child II, 2013, Collage, unique, in wooden frame, 31,1 x 25,5 cmMother IV, 2013, Collage, unique, in wooden frame, 31,1 x 26 cmMother III, 2013, Collage, unique, in wooden frame, 31,1 x 26 cmMother II, 2013, Collage, unique, in wooden frame, 31,1 x 26,2 cmMother I, 2013, Collage, unique, in wooden frame, 31,1 x 25,5 cmMother with the Child I, 2013, Collage, unique, in wooden frame, 31,1 x 26 cmSeventy Two, 2013, Collage, unique, in wooden frame, 82 x 117 cm
Editions
Bakhita ed. 35, 2017, Lithography on wallpaper, 47 x 37 cmHe told me you may have 48, ed. 2/48, 2020, sérigraphie sur feutre, 45 x 38 cmHe told me you may have 48, ed. 2/48, 2020, sérigraphie sur feutre, 45 x 38 cmHe told me you may have 48, ed. 2/48, 2020, sérigraphie sur feutre, 45 x 38 cm, private collection