Ismail Khelalfa

Art Brokerage: Ismail Khelalfa American Artist: Since his early 20's, Ismail Khelalfa has been interested in art as a means of therapy and visual expression. The form and contrast of the work stems from the artist's fascination with duality and the interaction of opposite phenomena in the world. Intentionally self-taught before receiving any formal schooling or training; this allowed Ismail to develop his own language. Not without precedent, however, Ismail's first contact with the world of creativity came at a very young age with his older brother and an uncle being painters. Among many other influences, his favorite artists were his uncle Moussa Khelalfa, Vincent Van Gogh, and Mark Rothko. In 2012, Ismail enrolled in the Undergraduate Architecture program at the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma and graduated in May 2017. The study of architecture and being exposed to unique projects all over the world have greatly influenced Ismail's work and understanding of spatial context. Among many other influences, the architects that have influenced Ismail's work the most are Rem Koolhas and Zaha Hadid.