Tunisian artist Saja sent a letter to Tunisian President Kais Saied and the Ministers of Culture and Export in his country, expressing his refusal to use his paintings in the Tunis Gallery at the Expo Dubai, contrary to the initial verbal agreement with officials of the Tunisian Masdar House.
The artist demanded the withdrawal of his artworks displayed at the "Expo Dubai", and the guarantee of all his material rights in return for displaying his works.
Tunisian artist "Saja" is interested in highlighting the art of Arabic calligraphy (communication sites)
Saja said - in a post on his Instagram page - that he had agreed without conditions and without material consideration last September to sign a contract guaranteeing the rights of both parties, and displayed his paintings on the entire hallway and secured them.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Saja Calligraphy (@sajacalligraphy)
"I have been waiting for 4 months, and despite my many attempts, I found nothing but procrastination," he said.
The painter revealed - in a message he posted on Instagram - that he did not sign any contract, and that his paintings were displayed in a closed place not open to visitors, as well as some of his works were damaged.
From the paintings of the artist "Saja" (communication sites)
Saja added in the same publication that he waited 4 months and found nothing but procrastination, especially from the Export Promotion Center, which did not give him the dues he owes.
The Tunisian artist also denounced the failure to invite him to attend the exhibition, and the Tunisian gallery's Facebook page ignored his artwork.
The Tunisian artist concluded his message by saying, "I ask you, Mr. President of the Republic, Mrs. Minister of Culture, and Mrs. Minister of Export, to help me guarantee my rights and entitlements as a Tunisian artist, and to return my paintings as soon as possible.
A wave of sympathy for the artist
The artist's publication, Saja, aroused a great wave of sympathy from the pioneers of social networking sites in Tunisia, as they expressed their solidarity with him.
Tunisian bloggers sympathized with the Tunisian artist, Saja, who demanded that the authorities in his country return his paintings displayed at the Dubai Expo in the UAE, after violating the verbal agreement he signed with officials of the Tunisian pavilion.
Bloggers on Facebook confirmed that what happened with the artist Saja has become a normal thing in a country where talented and creative people suffer, and opportunists control it.
Others confirmed that the name of the Exporter House or the Export Promotion Center has become linked to scandals because the artist Saja's case is not the first in the institution's record.