An architect by background, Myriame Dachraoui is a self-taught artist, that I got to know through her seamless navigation of the digital realm and the traditional canvas to craft scenes that delve deep into dreamscapes and the labyrinth of the subconscious mind, all while embracing a palette of bold and vibrant colours.

During her residency, Dachraoui embarked on an exploration of techniques, of colour palette between going back and forth on a drawing construction.

She drew inspiration from her memories, as well as images that had been imparted to her through her dreams. Her journey even led her to dig into a grimoire in search of postcards and elements that had left a remarkable mark on her as a child – postcards her father had brought back from his travels to Russia during his academic journey.

This pursuit ignited a curiosity within her, primarily concerning the construction of miniatures, the intricacies of color palettes, and their spatial arrangement. She unearthed certain elements from this treasure quest, such as a turquoise blue that she expanded into an entire palette within her canvases, creating an illusion of retro-illumination in the middle of an enchanted forest.
Another standout feature is a miniature nestled at the core of her compositions. The verticality in her works is, in part, influenced by Japanese prints, which, like the postcards, predominantly embark on a reading from a vertical perspective, guided by a succession of elements.

Dachraoui leads the character’s gaze in the middle of her canvas to the hidden corners of her compositions. These hidden corners often take the perception into lush, enigmatic spaces, where the character’s view disappears among the intricate interplay of foliage and shadows. We are given a taste of the character’s contemplative or perhaps, introspective moments off the canvas, as they become one with the natural world that surrounds them.
In other instances, the perspective offers a bird’s-eye gaze, creating a sense of elevated view. It invites the viewer to appreciate the vastness of the landscape, the intricate patterns of fields and waters, and the seemingly infinite horizon.

The discerning eye of an architect distinguishes her work, allowing her to construct layers of narrative, from foreground to background. This open studio experience is thought of as a voyage into Dachraoui’s imagination. With each brushstroke and experimentation, she directs us through her gaze towards a dream, an element, or a narrative that unfolds with layers and vibrations of colour, at times dark and distant, and others, vivid and lucid.
It’s a journey through the distinguished territories of the mind, a testament to the artist’s ingenuity and her ability to take us on an odyssey through the realms of dreams and colour.

Salma Kossemtini, Tunis, July 2023