The Village of Ken 1987 to Present

Village of Ken

Ken by Nejib Belkhodja

Here is to Friendship my friends. Would you build me a Village if I drew it? These are the two men I admire the most. Nejib Belkhodja and Slah Smaoui, the architect. They built a Village in Tunisia, it's called Ken. Ken is Arabic and means Once Upon a Time.

Take a look at what these two great men have created: www.villageken.com.tn







They wanted to build a Village for artists from all over the world. A beacon for the creative. To give artists the space in which to grow. The Village is free for the artist but he/she must donate an artwork for the Village before they leave. This is a real Village of Dreams built by Dreamers.

Please note that Nejib drew the plans for Ken through his artwork and his friend Slah believed in him so much he went ahead and built the idea. Using only the natural materials from Tunisia and over 20 years Slah has built a Village of Dreams..The interior echos the work of Belkhodja and you can see the D in his work clearly. The steps echo those within the artwork and cannot not be found in traditional Tunisian architecture. This is unique, revolutionary and a celebration of friendship, trust and newness.



This is a place that all of us can go to. It restores our faith in humanity. Love, friendship, art and architecture flow through this Village like water.

This week Slah will be pottering around his Village building his Botanical Garden with all the tropical plants that are found in North Africa.

Utopia existing. It's in Tunisia and it's called Ken, Once Upon a Time.

I salute you and thank you and I am forever grateful to you both for giving us all some HOPE.

Here is the Fashion produced at Ken - Once Upon A Time
Fashion of Ken

The Village of Ken | Once Upon A Time

The Village is open to all types of art, from fashion, weaving, pottery, poetry and furniture. The Village even has it's own theatre for the playwrites. In all it creates, produces and manufactures it is trying at all times to find a shape, a style that is typical to the Independent Nation of Tunisia. The poet and the writer with their voices and the artist with his pen. The fashion designer is also called upon and is vital to the new shaping of the Nation.

Liberty of a proud Nation can be built through Creativity. Division can be United under a Movement of Creativity. What Nejib and Slah were trying to create and develop was a unique style for the country. To be like the Founding Fathers of any new Nation and create a Movement of Art. Using Art/Music/Design and Poetry as the driving force that defined the New Nation.

Here is the Fashion of old and new coming out of Ken | Once Upon A Time...

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Village of Ken
Here is the magical village build by two Great men from Tunisia. The artist Nejib Belkhodja and the architect Slah Smaoui. Nejib died earlier this year but his legacy will last forever. He started an artistic movement in North Africa and his work focus' on the African Medina. Together these two men built a village for the African Abstract Movement to take place. This Village is a must know for those interested in Contemporary Africa. Nejib was a genius and used art as a driving force to create an identity for his Independent African Nation. He introduced Abstract Art to Africa and the Continent and those interested in the Continent should know his name.

The Village is called Ken, which means Once Upon A Time.

All those interested in Art and Africa go and stay in the Village of Ken | Once Upon A Time it will restore you faith in humanity.


Here is the Address:

Slah and Noura Smaoui
Village "KEN"
Route de Sousse, Km 82 - BP No 5
4010 Sidi-Khifa (Bouficha)
Tunisia
Tel: +216 3 252 110
Fax: +216 3 252 112
Web: www.villageken.com.tn

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